Young Adelaide glass artist wins inaugural Emma Hack Art Prize

Emerging Adelaide glass artist Natasha Natale has won the inaugural Emma Hack Art Prize for her glass sculpture titled Stump.

Her blown and diamond carved glass sculpture draws its inspiration from fragile and decomposing plant life. The work explores her connection to the garden in which she grew up and has watched deteriorate over the years.

Natahsa, a previous winner of the Heysen Prize, receives $5,000, a solo exhibition at the Centre, and an Emma Hack Art Prize sculpture by emerging glass artist Zoe Woods.

Natasha was selected from the 32 South Australian prize finalists whose work has been on display at the Centre since the beginning of the month in the Emma Hack Art Prize exhibition, part of the Adelaide Convention Centre’s Centre ArtBeat initiative.

The featured artists include photographers, sculptors, painters and digital artists, and were chosen by judges Emma Hack, Greg Mackie, Mark Kimber and Trudy-Anne Brown, from more than 200 prize entries.

Judging criteria was based on meeting the prize theme of ‘My Environment’ and the creativity and technical capability within the theme.

Prize Founder Emma Hack said it’s with great pride that I announce the winner of the Emma Hack Art Prize as Natasha Natale, a young glass artist from Adelaide. 

“The theme of this year’s prize was 'My Environment', and her work captured the theme perfectly by representing our fragile environment,” said Ms Hack.

“It is a beautiful artwork by a talented young artist.

“I’d also like to congratulate the judges who have done an amazing job collating the entries and choosing the finalists and ultimately the winner of the Emma Hack Art Prize.”

Judge Mark Kimber, Head of Photography and New Media SAAD University of South Australia, said it takes great skill and deep understanding to make something so strangely beautiful and enchanting.

“This work flows from a powerful connection with its environment, almost shaped by nature itself. It is both raw and pristine, its form a crystalline mirror of the landscape from which it is born, said Mr Kimber.

The Emma Hack Art Prize Exhibition is part of the Adelaide Convention Centre’s Centre ArtBeat initiative, which was established in October 2013 to showcase the work of South Australian artists through regular exhibitions and artistic events.

Adelaide Convention Centre Chief Executive Alec Gilbert said congratulations to Natasha, the finalists and all the artists that entered their work for the Emma Hack Art Prize.

“The Art Prize exhibition has been a huge success with the artist’s work exposed to more than 19,000 people who passed through the doors of the Centre to attend events in March,” said Mr Gilbert

“We’re committed to showcasing the best of South Australia to visiting guests whether it’s our great produce, world famous wines or local art.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Please contact Adelaide Convention Centre Marketing Manager Giovanna Toldi on (08) 8212 4099