A Taranaki artist has been selected as a finalist for the Parkin Drawing Prize for the fifth time in his career – but says it’s just as exciting now as it was the first time.
“It’s always a thrill and I’m always pleased to be included in the final selection,” Jordan Barnes said.
The artwork that earned Barnes a finals slot is titled Intrusions and was inspired by art he saw in the Tate Modern art gallery in London last year.
Intrusions also takes inspiration from some of Barnes’ interests – such as psychology and observing the world.
He said the piece played on anxieties in the “collection consciousness of the society we live in”.
Barnes had been doing art for as long as he could remember and had never stuck to just one medium, rather bouncing around different traditional mediums such as drawing and painting.
He said he drew throughout his school years and it quickly became part of his identity.
Jordan Barnes is one of 77 finalists in the Parkin Drawing Prize.
“It’s what I was – I was just an artist. One thing leads to another and it’s become my life, my income, my job.”
Barnes said he may have several exhibitions popping up around the country later in the year, and he was currently preparing for the Taranaki Arts Trail in November.
There were 463 entries to the Parkin Prize, and 77 works made the shortlist. The winner will receive $25,000 and there will be 10 highly commended prizes of $500.
The national competition, now in its 12th year, was founded in 2012 and has been supported by arts patron Chris Parkin since then.
The winner will be selected and announced by New Zealand writer, art critic and curator Justin Paton, who is head curator of international art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Paton will announce the winner and highly commended recipients at the gala opening of the Parkin Drawing Prize exhibition at the NZ Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington on Monday, August 5.
The Parkin Drawing Prize exhibition will run until Sunday, September 1, at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington. For the full shortlist visit parkinprize.nz/
