Delicate embroidery wows art prize judge

The winning entry in this year’s Moreton Bay Region Art Prize challenges people to re-think the significance of ordinary paper towel, casually used in the home to wipe and waste.

The creator of Viva!, Dr Karike Ashworth, is known for her use of ambiguity and humour in her artwork.

Ashworth’s roll of Viva paper towel hanging in the Pine Rivers Art Gallery may seem ordinary, but a closer look reveals a single line of white thread, painstakingly embroidered all the way through the roll.

Almost 30 hours of work went into sewing the thread, changing the roll of paper towel into a work of art that symbolises the unseen work and effort needed to be done in households daily.

Winning work

Guest judge Rachel Arndt, the Gallery Curator at The Condensery, Toogoolawah, says Viva! Could easily be dismissed as “an ugly utilitarian object”.

“But then a single dangling thread catches your eye and the work grabs you,” she says.

“You trace the thread through delicate embroidery following the course of the absorbent rippling of a Viva paper towel roll.

“It hits you then - the stitching stretches the entire length of the roll, metres and metres of paper towel lovingly sewn and re-rolled into seemingly ubiquitous usefulness.

“The mundanity of paper towel’s purpose denies the value thus embedded by the artist’s effort - the unseen, unheard, unwarranted and unpaid labour.

“Like our resources, the disposable is actually priceless.”

Abundance of talent

Mayor Peter Flannery says he’s amazed at the endless talent in Moreton Bay’s artistic community, with almost 200 entries in this year’s Moreton Bay Region Art Prize.

There were another 66 entries in the new Outdoor Gallery category.

“I am always surprised by the winning exhibits,” Mayor Flannery says.

“Every year we have these thought-provoking artworks that make us stop and question the world around us.

“Art has a great ability to tap into the mindset of the community and these unique, often unconventional exhibits certainly reflect themes we at Council know are very important to our Moreton Bay community such as responsible waste management, the value of work, our identity, protecting the environment and sustainability.”

Talented entrants

First prize of $5000 was awarded to Ashworth for Viva!, second prize of $3000 to Shannon Michaels for I Like Her Softness, $1500 for third place to Helen Evans for Under the Mountain I, and the $500 People’s Choice Award to Kevin Pearson for In the Beginning.

The new Outdoor Gallery proved to be a popular addition to the Moreton Bay Region Art Prize 2022 with six banner entries displayed at various locations.

“I’m amazed at the endless talent in our artistic community in Moreton Bay,” Mayor Flannery says.

“Every year we see a fresh palette of art works that express our local areas and culture in very original ways.”

People's choice

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