BEECHWORTH'S heritage streetscapes will turn into a huge outdoor canvas lit up next weekend with incredible artistic creations from 10 leading Australian artists selected from 200 entries.
A $10,000 prize is up for grabs for the winner of the inaugural Beechworth Contemporary Art Award with artists from around Australia to descend on the town for the exhibition.
Works will be showcased, projected and installed in, on and around Beechworth's iconic buildings and historic sites.
With the final touches being put into place for the event, creative director Nina Machielse Hunt said next Friday night's launch party being held at Quercus Beechworth Hall has reached near capacity with close to 200 people attending.
Performers and sponsors are gearing up for a great night to celebrate the hard work by volunteers and everyone involved," she said.
"It is an opportunity to say thank you to the community for an event which is largely community funded."
Ms Machielse Hunt said the winning artwork will be announced at 8.30pm with the $10,000 prize awarded to the artist by guest judge Sebastian Goldspink, curator of the 2022 Adelaide Biennale.
There will be an eclectic mix of 10 different artist's works across 10 different sites in and around the Beechworth's CBD.
Audiences are encouraged to visit just before dark, with many of the artworks viewed best at night where projections will only be screened after sun down.
Contemporary artists selected for the exhibition are Yandell Walton with a site–specific digital video work 'Remnant Futures.'
Work will be projected onto the old Ovens and Murray Hospital facade using emergent technologies including mobile scanning devices, photogrammetry, motion capture and 3D animation.
Sculptor Bruce Armstrong, of Melbourne's 'Bunjil' fame, has created in his distinctive totemic style, a magpie sitting on a column to be positioned on a site at the top of the town.
He created this work in response to the magpie song enjoyed on previous visits to Beechworth.
Nationally recognised artist Harrie Fasher, well–known for her three–dimensional horse sculptures, will transport her work ''The Space Behind' from her NSW–based foundry in Portland.
A 1.6 tonne horse sculpture will light up after dark with digital animations of the artist's abstract drawings.
Also viewed best at night will be a bright pink neon rhombus, by Melbourne artist Jodie L Kipps, while Liam Deny will show his 'Trial of the Fool' – an 'Excalibur' scenario' – with a shaped granite boulder and cast bronze swords.
Also lighting up the town will be Castlemaine's Kate Just, known for her celebrated feminist art events, and Melbourne based environment/grass painter, Anthony Saw...
