Fourteen artists will vie for the acquisitive prize which is awarded every two years for work by Australian contemporary artists in sculpture, installation, video, photography, textiles and painting.

This year’s field of artists include Abdul Abdullah and Jumaadi from New South Wales, Joel Arthur and Peter Vandermark from the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia’s Julie McInerney and Julie Robinson, Erin Coates and Alistair Rowe from Western Australia and Brian Robinson from Queensland.

Victoria’s Esther Stewart, Carly Fischer, Natasha Jones-Messenger, Yhonnie Scarce and DAMP (Narelle Desmond, Deb Kunda, Sharon Goodwin and James Lynch) will also be in the running.

The third installment of the Guirguis New Art Prize (GNAP) will be exhibited at the Post Office Gallery and the Art Gallery of Ballarat from March 25 until May 14.

Made possible by local surgeon and philanthropist Dr Mark Guirguis, he said the prize rewards art that explores ideas relating to art history, gender, cultural identity, and other social and political issues.

This year’s winner will be announced at the formal opening at the Art Gallery of Ballarat on March 24 by GNAP17 judge Simon Maidment and the National Gallery of Victoria’s senior curator of contemporary art.

RELATED STORIES | Third Guirguis new art prize to be awarded