STILL 2021 Invites the World to Experience Virtual 3D Tour
Published on 06 September 2021
From behind closed doors, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery invites the world into their virtual viewing room of STILL: National Still Life Award 2021.
The new 3D Virtual Tour means anyone can take a digital wander through the STILL 2021 exhibition and navigate their way around the 59 artworks, chosen from a record field of over 1000 entries. It’s the first chance all finalists from around Australia have had to see their creations in the space. The current lockdown forced the gallery’s closure just one day after the exhibition opened on August 14.
From paintings to sculpture, mixed media to video installations, the tour features all the sights and sounds of the exhibition, alongside links to the STILL catalogue to delve further into the stories behind the works. Ideal for anyone craving inspiration in isolation and a silver lining for the artists whose work can now enjoy exposure beyond the gallery walls.
“Still life really lends itself to a myriad of interpretations and artists coming up with new and innovative ways of doing things,” said this year’s judge, Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE, long-serving Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.
When announcing the winner in a virtual ceremony, Macgregor said she was struck by the diversity of the work from artists of all ages and locations across the country.
“It is extraordinary high quality and I can assure you I’ve judged many prizes where I wouldn’t have said that,” adds Macgregor.
The ultimate prize of $30,000 went to political artist and Dunghutti man, Blak Douglas, for his provocative sculpture Silent Cop 2020, a bronze memorial to black deaths in custody.
As a biennial prize, STILL is a reflection of life and events over the previous two years. The 2021 exhibition reveals shared themes and the unique way the works speak to each other in the space.
“It looks like a curated exhibition; it doesn’t just look like a number of still lifes. It’s beautifully hung,” said Macgregor. “I’m looking forward to seeing what the audience thinks and seeing who ends up as the people’s choice as it’s often very different from the judges.”
The 3D Tour also gives the public the chance to cast their vote for their favourite in the $5,000 People’s Choice Award, open until October 8, with the winner announced on October 9. Find the option to vote at the back of the gallery where Curator, Chloe Waters, has left her own ‘still life’.
Take the 3D Tour of STILL 2021 with all 59 finalist artworks, the catalogue and price list at: www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/still
STILL: National Still Life Award 2021 reopens in person once lockdown restrictions lift and runs until 23 October 2021 at Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery.
Additional info
This year marks 20 years of the Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery and will be the final Still in the current space, 2021 breaking new ground with construction of the new Cultural & Civic Space where the new, larger gallery will celebrate the next Still Award in 2023.
Still 2021 is supported by major sponsors Bryant McKinnon Lawyers and saso.creative, and supporting sponsors, Moving Art, Andrew Peace Wines, Harbour Magazine and Friends of Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery.
Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery is a cultural facility of Coffs Harbour City Council.
Images courtesy of Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery.