The annual Energy Art Exhibition is in its 31st year and showcases a selection of student artworks by senior students from across the region. This year, Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns, become a major sponsor of the event as well as awarding a Catholic Education – Encounter Art Award valued at $500.
The inaugural Catholic Education – Encounter Art Award is inspired by the Catholic belief in the transformative power of art to foster unity, understanding, and appreciation for the shared human journey.
The art works that receive the Catholic Education – Encounter Art Award have been selected for their ability to serve as a mirror and encourage viewers to explore the complexities of their own being and the interconnectedness with the world around them.
The criteria for which these art works have been selected are based on the capacity for the work to call upon the viewer to engage with an encounter with oneself, through one or more of the following concerns:
- Cultural respect.
- Deep connections to people, place, and spirit.
- Reflection on identity.
The purpose of the Catholic Education – Encounter Art Award and the additional sponsorship provided to the Ergon Energy Exhibition by Catholic Education, Diocese of Cairns, is to;
Cultivate a deeper appreciation for art’s capacity to unite humanity in a shared journey of encounter.
The 2023 Winners of the Encounter Art Awards are:
| Winner ($500 Bursary) | Dante | Shield Shadows – Mixed media | Trinity Bay SHS |
| Runner up ($100 Voucher) | Maddison | Harmony – Acrylic on wood | Bentley Park College |
| Highly Commended | Ta’Lia | Turning our backs – Mixed media on board | St Stephen’s CC |
| Highly Commended | Izzy | Synthetic Human Reflection – Film | Cairns SHS |
| Highly Commended | Wypaan | Bush Lawyer – Photographic screen print on linen | Trinity Bay SHS |
This year there were 144 entries to the exhibition, of which 55 were from Cairns Catholic schools, including; Mount St Bernard College, St Andrews Catholic college, St Augustine’s College, St Monica’s College, St Stephen’s Catholic College and St Mary’s Catholic College.
Energy will be viewed by over 10,000 people as part of the Cairns Festival program. This is the biggest showcase of student art work in the State, celebrating the creativity of our Far North Queensland students. The show will run from Wednesday 30th August to Monday 2nd October at the Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns.
