Michael Dell with his winning entry for 2019 Parking Drawing Prize, 'Every Valley'

 

2019 Judge's Statement 

 

I chose 'Every Valley' by Michael Dell, the winner, as his work kept drawing me back both mentally and physically. I was most impressed with the professional manner in which the work had been made and the mystery to the eye created by the composition. Was I looking through a window to foliage outside, the valley beyond? Was I looking at an abstract which caught the light with its contrasts of pigment application accentuated by the tooth of the canvas. The compositional division created by the stretcher bar behind the canvas gave this work a formal element which interfered with the eye reading what could otherwise be interpreted as a very organic composition. This bar element also gave the viewer the feeling of a window view of the beyond. Quality of image, quality of materials and quality of thought all added up to a winning combination in my minds eye. The work also had a strong 'drawing' element which was an important factor in my somewhat traditional decision making process.

John Gow, 2019 Parkin Drawing Prize Judge
 
 
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