As part of the IMA’s ongoing commitment to Queensland experimental visual art practice we will be hosting the fifth biennial Jeremy Hynes Award. Since 2009, the IMA has had the honour of presenting the $10,000 prize to an experimental Queensland artist in the earlier stages of their career, made possible by a bequest made by the family of Jeremy Hynes in his name.

Jeremy Hynes was a key figure in the Brisbane art scene in the 1990s, predominantly known for his experimental performance works. Hynes had numerous exhibitions locally and nationally, his exhibition Macro-Surveillance was presented at the IMA in 2000.

The four 2017 shortlisted artists are: Lucy Forsberg, Michael Candy, Naomi Blacklock, and Elizabeth Willing. Acting as a testing site, each artist will present a work at the IMA’s for a week. The award will be judged by Susan Best, Deputy Director (Research & Postgraduate), Professor of Art Theory and Fine Art, Griffith University. The recipient will be announced at our Annual Party on October 28.

Lucy Forsberg
Presentation dates: 3–7 October, 2017
Closing event: Saturday, 7 October 4–6pm
Brisbane-based artist, Forsberg, graduated with a BFA (Visual Arts) honours from the Queensland University of Technology in 2016. Forsberg works predominantly with new media, assemblage and sculpture to examine socio-political issues within the Australian landscape.

Michael Candy
Presentation dates: 10–14 October 2017
Closing event: Saturday, 14 October 4–6pm
Candy is a kinetic artist who uses physical technologies to impart systems theory on ecology and sociology. He has been involved in many international and local projects, notably: First Draft (Sydney), Next Wave (Melbourne), The Instrument Builders Project, Hackteria Lab (Yogyakarta), and Hawapi (Peru).

Elizabeth Willing
Presentation dates: 17–21 October, 2017
Performance: Saturday, 21 October 4–6pm
Willing completed her honours in Fine Arts (Visual Arts)  in 2009, and is currently undertaking a Masters of Fine Art (research) at Queensland University of Technology. Solo exhibitions and dining performances have been held in Australia and overseas at Tolarno Galleries Melbourne, Kunstlerhaus Bethanien Berlin, and Gallery of Modern Art Brisbane.

Naomi Blacklock
Presentation dates: 24–28 October, 2017
Performance: Tuesday, 24 October 7pm
Blacklock is a Brisbane-based artist who works primarily with sound installation, text works and performance. Her artworks involve an exploration and examination of mythologies regarding the witch archetype and harmful histories of gender and cultural identity.