2018 Mandorla Art Award launched
The 2018 Mandorla Art Award was launched on March 30 in conjunction with the Bible Society of Australia celebrating their 200th anniversary. It took place in Wesley Church in the city with an exhibition of 12 of the finalists from last year.
The Award is Australia’s only thematic Christian art award with themes defined by a quotation from the Bible and all participating artists invited to interpret this in their own way. The privilege to co-celebrate with the Bible Society was important as the aims of both organisations are bound with the same values.
The theme for the 2018 Mandorla Art Award, is taken from Revelations 21:1-2 and provides artists with an opportunity to reflect on what that will mean for us and offer the rest of us a way in which to imagine what is to come.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Rev 21:1-2
Rev Professor Bill Loader offered us a way of understanding this text and concluded with a dare to artists:
Dare to hope! Dare to dream! Dare to imagine! Dare to depict and portray!
Prize money for the main award’s overall winning entry is $25,000 sponsored by St John of God Healthcare, with the two highly commended awards being $5,000 each. The People’s Choice is for $2,000 and is sponsored by the New Norcia Benedictine Community. The main award’s overall winning artwork is acquisitive and all other artworks are for sale.
All submissions must clearly demonstrate a direct relationship to the theme, Revelation 21:1-2.
More information on the theme, application process and the opening exhibition will soon be on the Mandorla website www.mandorlaart.com.
About the Mandorla Art Award
The Mandorla Art Award for contemporary religious art is Australia’s most significant thematic religious art prize, attracting some of the country’s finest artists since its 1985 inception. For more information, visit www.mandorlaart.com
About St John of God Health Care
St John of God Health Care is a leading not for profit Catholic health care group, employing 9,300 caregivers across 13 hospitals, pathology, home nursing and Social Outreach and Advocacy services in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific. For more information, visit www.sjog.org.au