Winners

“We were particularly taken with Celine Cheung’s contemplative work, River of Oblivion, and her considered reflections on ritual, family and culture. The location of the work inside the restored Grave Diggers Hut provided a quiet moment to observe Cheung’s 99 fluid sigils – based on Buddhist auspicious symbols – floating along white chiffon, like souls passing through to the afterlife in an underworld river.” - Tian Zhang & Hannah Donnelly, judges.

Celine Cheung has Hong Kong-Chinese and Australian ancestory, she lives on Dharug Land in western Sydney, NSW.

“I’m a Saltwater Freshwater Dharug Woman, so Virginia Keft's beautiful woven bats are really special for my people and significant to my mob: flying foxes are a very strong male totem. We can actually see so many of our family's personalities in these little fellas. I really love this piece, I love the colours, the work itself, the stitching and the weave. The colours – well, that's Dharug mob – we're all different shades and different colours, and we all have our uniqueness. Yet we're all combined and one. Congratulations, Virginia Keft, and thank you for entering HIDDEN with this beautiful work, we're so privileged to host it on our Country.” - Julie Clarke-Jones, judge.

Virginia Keft is a Muruwari woman, who currently lives on Dharawal Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.

“This large-scale work, activated by the landscape and wind, conjures elements of the artists’ family’s Fijian cultural practices - as well as engaging with local communities to share in making and contributing memories of passed loved ones into this bright and poignant sculpture.”

Karlina Mitchell was born in Nausori Fiji and her vanua is from Vunivaivai Village, Nausori. Karlina Mitchell and Lee Mitchell live on Dharug and Gundungurra Land in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

“Leyla Oz’s work Kefen - Nothing but a few pieces of cloth engages architecture, sculptural installation and culture. In a generous and poetic way, she shares an element of her religion, the Islamic burial tradition, where you take nothing to your grave except for the 5 pieces of cloth that your body is wrapped in.”

Leyla Oz is Turkish, Muslim woman who lives on Wangal Land in Western Sydney, NSW.

“Kumiko Delaney has recreated her memory of the love she feels when visiting her grandparents in Japan, particularly her grandmother’s home cooking transformed into a ceramic still life. This work playfully conjures the transience of memory, inevitable mortality and familial culturally specific expressions of nurturing and care.”

Kumiko Delaney has a Japanese mother and father of Irish descent. She lives on Gadigal Land in Sydney, NSW.

Judge: Diane Luccitti said “People who are dying worry they will be forgotten. The Beautiful Farewells Award is awarded for how we honour our dead and keep them in our memory. I chose this work, Sinililled silmadele (Blue Flowers For Eyes), because it represents a lesser known group of freedom fighters from the Baltic Wars, relatives of the artist Lachlan Bell. In judging this work, it spoke to me in a way that I find hard to describe. However, Lachlan's ability to honour distant relatives from almost 80 years ago ensures that they are not forgotten.”

Lachlan Bell has Estonian ancestory and lives on Wallumedegal Land in the north west of Sydney, NSW.

The judges said: “Sach Killam’s level of commitment to actually carving a gothic decorated feature, a whole rose window, is quite a demonstration for a bank mason and carver. It's been beautifully executed, with details such as the winged hourglass - a lovely bit of symbolism in the setting of HIDDEN. It is a highly decorated piece and an excellent demonstration of a mason's skill.”

Sach Killam was born in Canada and now lives on Gundungurra Land in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

This winged lion in a sitting pose, is inspired by a number of gothic winged grotesques that I have admired from my research on Gothic Architecture. I have been working in heritage stone masonry for 10 years. I'm currently working for Stone Restorations who are based in the Central Tablelands but have worked all over NSW. We specialise in the repair and restoration of heritage buildings, notably the Bathurst Courthouse and the Cathedral of St Michael and St John, Bathurst.

Daniel Kilminster lives on Wiradjuri Land in the Central Tablelands, NSW.

The judges said: “Daniel Trento Santoso has concluded a rock-faced broken finish, which is a great reflection of the broken column, a type of carved symbolism often found in the cemetery setting.”

Daniel Tranter-Santoso lives on Dharawal Land in south western Sydney, NSW.

Judges: Wendy Ramsay and Helen Yip said, “Intersections speaks to the diverse journeys and stories that intertwine over time, metaphorically embodied in the collaborative process of stitching. Created from reclaimed materials, this installation incorporates transparent netting and layers of fabric that invite audiences to peer through and contemplate the surrounding site. Connecting individual and collective experiences, Intersections prompts us to pause and consider how we respond to each other and build inclusive communities.”

Ashfield Public School is located on Gadigal Wangal Land in the inner west of Sydney, NSW. Teachers: Karen Manning & Jane Bennett. Students: Whole School Collaboration, with students from Years K – 6.