2020 WINNERS
BEST
OF THE BEST
KAROONDA SILO ART
KAROONDA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Best Sculpture Park or Trail
GOLD WINNER
Utes in the Paddock, Condoblin NSW
Imagine 20 classic Holden utes handed over to 20 outback-inspired artists to create 20 works destined to tickle your funny bone. These is a Ned Kelly inspired piece, a Dame Edna one, a ute flying with the galahs, and one named Ute-opia - and that is definitely where art lovers will believe they are when viewing this remarkable gallery. Nominated and managed by Lachlan Shire Council, Utes in the Paddock is undoubtedly one of the quirkiest attractions in Oz.
SILVER: Walcha Open Air Gallery, Walcha NSW
BRONZE: Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail, Aramac QLD
Best External Mural
GOLD WINNER
Kapunda Lucas Street Mural, Kapunda SA
Nominated by Kapunda Community Gallery Inc, this mural depicts the town from the 1850s to 1900. Under the guidance of Danny Menzel, 15 volunteers pulled together to create this sizeable artwork. Visitors can look into the eyes of people who made significant contributions to South Australia, such as Captain Charles Hervey Bagot and Francis Stacker Dutton who discovered copper in Kapunda in 1845 – Australia’s first commercially successful copper mine.
SILVER: Darwin's Jumping Kangaroo NT
BRONZE: The Brave & the Beautiful, Geelong VIC
Best Mega Mural
GOLD WINNER
Karoonda Silo Art, Karoonda SA
Mural by day - light show by night!
The mural on the Karoonda Silo Art was painted by Melbourne-based street artist Heesco Khosnaran, while the digital artworks are managed by creative partner Illuminart and feature themed exhibitions which change approximately once a month. This silo, nominated by the District Council of Karoonda East Murray, was the first silo in Australia to have permanent projection.
SILVER: Quorn Silo Light Show, Flinders Ranges SA
BRONZE: Yelarbon Graincorp Silo Art, Yelarbon QLD
Best Landmark Sculpture
GOLD WINNER
Language of the Land, Eidsvold QLD
The five-panel sculpture, located within Eidsvold’s RM Williams Australian Bush Learning Centre precinct, pays tribute to people who live on, or are connected to, the land. Stylised bush trails, water holes, rivers and animal tracks adorn the lower half of the sculpture while circular motfis above represent communities, stargazing and campfire gatherings. Each evening it comes to life through free light and sound shows that showcase local storylines about Australian bush anecdotes, antics and characters.
SILVER: Chainsaw Art, West Wyalong NSW
BRONZE: Australovenator Dinosaur Family, Yeppoon QLD
Best Street Art Trail
GOLD WINNER
Heesco Town, Yarram VIC
As some destinations curled into a foetal position when COVID hit Yarram in Victoria's Gippsland pulled up its socks, strapped on its thinking cap and began planning a whole new future. They turned to art as a secret weapon, adopting Heesco Khosnaran to transform their entire town. To date he has painted 17 murals with more coming.
SILVER: Maryborough Mural Trail, Fraser Coast QLD
BRONZE: Heartwalk CBD, Kalgoorlie WA
Best Metropolitan Art
GOLD WINNER
Mindeerup Public Art, South Perth WA
A collection of four public artworks, including a multi-form immersive piece, have been installed to help create a tourism hub in the City of South Perth. What was once simply called Mend Street Jetty area is now an exciting destination thanks in part to this collection of artworks.
SILVER: NEXUS by Chris Nixon, Willagee WA
BRONZE: Baru, a trubute mural, Darwin NT
Best Rural Art
GOLD WINNER
Yelarbon Graincorp Silo, Yelarbon QLD
This mural by The Brightsiders, titled When the Rain Comes, depicts an idyllic oasis dotted with water lilies where a child plays with paper sailing boats.
Spread over seven silos, it is one of the biggest silo art canvases in Australia - and Goondiwindi Regional Council, which nominated the artwork, has now working co-operatively with the Thallon Graincorp Silo Art coordinators – last year’s Best Rural Art winner, to create a street art trail.
SILVER: Gunnedah Rainbow Serpent, Gunnedah NSW
BRONZE: Monto Artway, Monto QLD
Best Monument or Memorial
GOLD WINNER
Gallipoli to Armistice Memorial, Maryborough QLD
Maryborough born and bred Duncan Chapman was the first allied soldier to set foot ashore at Gallipoli, and the courageous role he played in history was the inspiration for what evolved into this impressive memorial. A bronze statue of Chapman is surrounded by towering weathered steel representations of the Gallipoli landscape and complemented by many other sculptures, plantings and audio immersions that bring World War I into sharp focus.
SILVER: The Big Football - a Tribute to the Danihers, Ungarie NSW
BRONZE: Baru - a Tribute to Dr G.urrumul Yunupingu, Darwin NT
Best Street Art Festival or Event
Colour Tumby Street Art Festival SA
We were unable to fairly run a Best Street Art Festival or Event in 2020 as many events in the first half of the year has to be cancelled. So we would like to continue honouring tiny Tumby Bay, which once a grows in national focus and more than doubles in size as visitors flood in to enjoy Australia's best street art festival. The murals created on those occasions continue to draw visitors throughout the year. This mural artist: SMUG