Emily Imeson awarded the Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize

Regional New South Wales visual artist Emily Imeson has been awarded the 2019 Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize for her painting Alive in the dead of night, 2019. The prize was announced last night in Sydney.

Now in its eighth year, the Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize supports and recognises a new generation of Australian visual artists. Artists in the early stage of their careers were invited to enter an original work – or works – that reflect the theme The Land and its Psyche.

Emily will receive $15,000 and her work will be acquired by the Macquarie Group Collection. The Macquarie Group Collection has been supporting emerging Australian artists for more than thirty years.

Emily Imeson graduated from Southern Cross University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts. Her work is included in the Northern Rivers Community Gallery, Ballina Shire Council and other private collections. Emily was the recipient of the Arts NSW Young Regional Artist Scholarship in 2016 and received an Honourable Mention in the 2019 John Villers Outback Art Prize in Winton, Queensland.

Emily exhibted at Lone Goat Gallery in July 2017 before embarking on a painting-roadtrip criss-crossing Australia.

Also announced last night was the recipient of the Nick Waterlow OAM Highly Commended Award. The award by the art committee of the Macquarie Group Collection was given to Luke Aleksandrow for his work To Adelaide, 2018. Nyinta Donald was awarded the Highly Commended Award by guest judge Nike Savvas for her animation Iti Jesunya Bethlehemala Ngaringu (Baby Jesus was Born in Bethlehem), 2018.

Nike Savvas said: “The exceptional quality of the finalists’ works reflects the significant depth of talent to be found among Australia’s next generation of promising visual artists.

From an outstanding field of nominees, Emily’s work was selected as the recipient of the Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize as it represents a distinct style and skilfully encapsulates the theme of the Macquarie Group Collection, The Land and its Psyche.”

Director of the Macquarie Group Collection, Helen Burton, said: “Congratulations to Emily, Aleksandrow and Nyinta, and to all the finalists for creating such unique and inspiring pieces. Our final prize to award is The People’s Choice Award. We welcome all visitors to the exhibition to vote for their favourite work, to be announced on 6 September.”

Members of the public are invited to see Alive in the dead of night, along with other works by the finalists for this year’s prize, at space at 1 Shelley Street, Sydney. The exhibition is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 3 pm until 5 September.

All entries, other than the winning artwork and those purchased at the event in Sydney, are available for sale.

The Macquarie Group Collection has supported emerging Australian visual artists for over 30 years. Grounded in the theme The Land and its Psyche, the Collection comprises more than 750 works by artists who, at the time their work was acquired, were in the early stages of their career. Acquisitions are made by a committee of volunteer Macquarie staff and a curatorial expert.

Works in the Macquarie Group Collection are exhibited in more than 40 Macquarie Group offices worldwide and periodically loaned to public institutions.

Macquarie’s new gallery in Sydney, Space, is open to the public at 1 Shelley Street (enter via Erskine St) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 3pm.