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Feature
APB Signature Jury Award for G.R.Iranna
Young Indian contemporary artist G.R.Iranna is adjudged as one of the winners of the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize 2008. Iranna received the award in a gala function organized by the Singapore Art Museum. JohnyML reports from Singapore.
During the times of global economic recession, here is a point for Indian contemporary art scene to rejoice. Noted young artist G.R.Iranna is declared as one of the three recipients of the prestigious APB Foundation Signature Art Prize 2008, jointly instituted by the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) and the Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation. Iranna’s sculpture titled ‘Wounded Tools’, which was earlier exhibited in Delhi and London as a part of his solo show is adjudged as a work of art that ‘captures the human conditions of our times.’ In a gala event organized by the SAM and APB Foundation in Singapore on 14th October 2008, Iranna received the prestigious award from Mr.Raymond Lim, Hon. Minister of Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs. The prize includes a trophy and a purse of SGD 10,000.
Singaporean artist Yeo Chee Kiong has been awarded the grand prize for his work titled ‘A Day Without a Tree’. The grand prize includes a citation and SGD 45000. Malaysian artist Ahman Fuad B.Osman (Recollections of Long Lost Memories), Chinese artist Zheng Bo (Karibu Islands) and Indian artist G.R.Iranna (Wounded Tools) got the three Juror’s Awards. The SGD 10000 People’s Choice award went to the Mongolian artist Davaa Dorjderem for his ‘Voice in the Space’.
The distinguished international jury included Henri Chen Kezhan, one of Singapore’s most established artists and a pioneer in Contemporary Chinese Painting; Simon Israel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation, Kwok Kian Chow, Director of the Singapore Art Museum, Dr.Apinan Poshyanand, Director General of the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, Ministry of Culture, Thailand, Professor Xu Jiang, President of the China Academy of Art, People’s Republic of China and guest judge Wonil Rhee, who has extensive experience in Media and Asian Contemporary art and is a co-curator of the 3rd Seville Biennale, which opened on 2nd October and ends on 11th January 2009.
“The 10 short listed art works were each impressive in their own right and it was difficult deciding which to award the Grand Prize,” said Dr.Apinan Poshyananda.
“Wounded Tools’ by Indian artist G. R. Iranna shows a downcast donkey with a basket of primitive hand tools that have been bandaged, showing traces of blood stains. The citation for the piece reads “Wounded Tools is ironic as well as poignant; ironic because it underlines the foolishness of human beings both as victors and victims, and poignant because the metaphorical metamorphosis of human subjection into the form of a donkey doubles the effect of it,” Simon Israel observed.
The APB Foundation Signature Art Prize is a hallmark of distinction that will be awarded Triennially to artist whose work represents a significant development in contemporary art. The award series is the result of a 15 year partnership announced in October 2007 between SAM and APB Foundation to develop and promote contemporary visual art in the Asia Pacific region. The award is funded by a SGD 2.25 million sponsorship from the APB Foundation. The award winning works will be displayed in the permanent collection of the Singapore Art Museum.
