Exhibitions

This exhibition brings together the works of the artists who, annually since 1973, have taken out the Artist of the Year Award.

Held since 1973, the Artist of the Year (AOTY) Award Exhibition showcases the year’s best artistic talent in painting and sculpture. This award is unique as it is not awarded by a committee or judge, but by the peers of the winning artist and demands sustained performance over the exhibiting year.

The lists of winners reads like a who’s who of Victorian artists: Julian Bruere, Jennifer Fyfe, Clive Sinclair, Gregory Smith, Amanda Hyatt, Ted Dansey, David Taylor, Ben Winspear, to name a few.

The artworks show an astounding variety of styles and subjects. While some of the earlier winners have long gone, their works have survived and remained as part of the VAS Collection.

While under-represented in the first few years, female artists now make up nearly half of the winners: Gwendolyn Krumins, Jennifer Fyfe and Mary Hyde amongst them.

Image: Broth, oil by Jennifer Fyfe