The $15,000 People’s Choice Award at the Ramsay Art Prize has been announced, with Fremantle-based artist Emma Buswell taking home the accolade for her knitted work The Pool.
The vibrant work consists of two large, knitted textile pieces. The work speaks to contemporary social issues through the whimsical lens of memes and mythology.
The two tapestries took months to make using a ’60s hand-operated knitting machine, with Buswell crediting her mother and grandmother, who inspired her with their own craft practices.
The two works that make up the piece explore different myths. The first deals with the story of Narcissus and Echo. Buswell has knitted together fragmented historical representations of the tale. The second is a homage to the 1915 painting by John William Waterhouse, I Am Half-Sick of Shadows, Said the Lady of Shalott, and explores the role of artists in society. Both contain words in bold blocky letters, a nod to modern meme culture.
“Overall, my work is an attempt to chronicle and document the present, using art as a tool and form of labour to question what our future might look like and who might be allowed to participate in it,” said Buswell in a statement.
“I think a lot of people have had experiences of loved ones knitting them things and understand the care that goes into each stitch. In my work, I try to make art that is of my own lived experience, intuiting art history and current-day events through the lens of labour and repetitive work.
“I hope that when people see these works, they might feel a sense of solidarity, or of being stuck in the mess and chaos all together, and maybe for a brief moment not feel alone in their thoughts and concerns about the future.”
The $100,000 Ramsay Art Prize was awarded in May to WA-born, Sydney-based artist Jack Ball.
Both Ball and Buswell’s works – alongside those of the 20 other finalists – are on display in a free exhibit at AGSA. It’s open to the public until the end of August.
