The Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Awards 2018, showcases a shortlist of 25 textile artists with a diverse range of contemporary pieces. This award is an open call-out to NSW contemporary artists working with textiles and was presented by Australian Design Centre in partnership with the Seed Stitch Collective. Coupled with the launch of Sydney Craft Week festival, the opening event was a busy night with awards presented in the following categories.

AWARD WINNERS:

Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Award: $1000 sponsored by Skein Sisters
Blake GriffithsNational Emblem Reconstructed (emroo); hide of diminishing resources, 2018

This work is part of an ongoing investigation considering the materiality of our national emblem. Blake questions how this emblem changes once these materials are re-arranged to create a dichotomy between our current social & political climates and the histories and activities that, since the beginning of a great dream, formed this place.

Australian Design Centre Award: Object Space window gallery exhibition in 2019
Jane Theau#Me Too,2017

#MeToo is inspired by the beautiful Renaissance painting of Judith and Holofernes by Cristofano Allori, and it repositions this Old Testament narrative in our time. Jane hopes that milestones like the #MeToo movement, and Julia Gillard’s Misogyny Speech, demonstrate that to combat misogyny and sexual aggression, the pen can be a mightier weapon than the sword Judith had to wield.

Skein Sisters Yarn Innovation Award: $250 Gift voucher and $250 cash
Paula Do Prado, Resonance, 2018

Resonance
 is part of Paula do Prado’s most recent body of work and references the intersection between the human, the divine and inner-outer synthesis.

Seed Stitch Collective Award: Membership opportunity and invitation to exhibit with SSC in 2019 
Christina NewberryVintage Puzzle, 2016 and Charis 2017

Vintage Puzzle
 evolved after discovering a vintage wooden jigsaw puzzle depicting a society scene from the 18th century and Christina was immediately inspired to construct a neckpiece. Charis is inspired by a beautiful garden in England, created and nurtured by someone dear to Christina. This collar endeavours to capture the beauty and colours of the garden in full bloom.

Highly Commended Award
Daniel KimEmu, 2018

In an age that glorifies the ‘new’, Daniel steadfastly paints in the tradition of the Old Masters. He has a profound and innate ability to representationally paint his surroundings. Comparatively, Daniel's textile work takes on more of a contemporary abstract form. Drawing on painting techniques of layering colour to depict light and shadow, his hand-stitched textile sculptures seem to translate the painted mark as a line of yarn. He loops and stitches colours together to build up a depth reminiscent of a skilled painter.

Thank you to our judges for their support and selection.

JUDGES:
Soraya Abidin – Artistic Director Seed Stitch Collective
Lisa Cahill – CEO & Artistic Director Australian Design Centre
Associate Professor Liz Williamson – UNSW | Art & Design
Skein Sisters - Debbie McDonald & Janine Smith

Explore the Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Awards 2018 website here.

Image: Paula Do Prado, Resonance, 2018, photo: Document Photography

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