The 60th Blake Prize

Since its inception in 1951, the Blake Prize has stimulated a fascinating dialogue between art and religion in all its manifestations in Australia. The Prize is named after the legendary British artist and poet William Blake (1757-1827) whose artistic innovations, visionary imagination and radical politics made him an outsider in his day.

In difference to art prizes that are awarded for distinct subject areas such as landscape or portraiture, the Blake has always invited a much more open, personal and idiosyncratic response, so much so that it has earned the criticism, ire and sometimes applause of critics and the public alike. 2011 marks the 60th birthday of the Blake Prize and as in previous years, the finalist in the exhibition encompass a wide variety of genres and content - from traditional artworks with devotional content, to moving image and mixed media artworks that question and confront conventional notions of religion and spirituality.

Download the media release (PDF, 435 kb)