Jeremy Hynes was a much-loved figure in the Meanjin/Brisbane art scene. In the 1990s, he was known for his audacious, daredevil performance art (lighting fires, smashing mirrors, and confining his audience to taxis) and his experimental video work (with Georgie Pinn, he directed the animated music clip for Regurgitator’s Polyester Girl). In 2000, the IMA presented his show Macro-Surveillance.

Since 2009, the IMA has had the honour of presenting the Jeremy Hynes Award to an early-career experimental Queensland artist, from a bequest made by the late experimental artist’s family in his name. 2024 was the eighth and final year of the award.

The award recipient is given $10,000 to produce an exhibition or project at the IMA. Entries are received via open call and assessed by a panel of leading curators and artists. Applicants were assessed on their overall art practice and their demonstration of experimentation, artistic courage, and clarity of idea.