The 20th Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe is officially underway following an opening ceremony earlier today, when WA artist Johannes Pannekoek was announced as the recipient of the $30,000 Hancock Prospecting and Roy Hill Sculpture Award for his artwork ‘Lifeblood’. The Hancock Prospecting and Roy Hill Sculpture Award is one of the most generous awards for the Visual Arts in Australia.
Johannes Pannekoek is an artist and sculptor based in Perth and he first took part in Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe in 2009. 2024 marks his ninth time in the exhibition. ‘Lifeblood’ draws inspiration from Earth’s winding rivers and their serpentine shapes. The sculpture represents the vital force that flows through all living organisms, inspiring reverence and reflection on our responsibility to protect the lifeblood of our planet’s ecosystems.
Johannes Pannekoek said: “As much as I personally loved creating this artwork and having peers recognise it as a strong work, I never imagined winning this award. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to exhibit and for what Sculpture by the Sea has done for myself and all artists. Thank you so much to Hancock Prospecting and Roy Hill for this generous award and I must mention the support of my family and especially the great contribution from my trusty team of assistants.”
David Handley, Founding CEO & Artistic Director of Sculpture by the Sea, said: “It is great news that Harry Pannekoek has been awarded the $30,000 Hancock Prospecting and Roy Hill Sculpture Award. Harry began his journey as a sculptor in the early years of Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe and has developed into one of the most important sculptors in Australia today. Thank you to Mrs. Rinehart and her companies for this great support for Harry and for making the exhibition possible for the people of Perth and its visitors.”
The Hancock Prospecting and Roy Hill Sculpture Award recipient was selected by the exhibition’s Award Judges:
Paula Anselmi | Curator, Arts Writer, Public Art Coordinator
Ron Bradfield Jnr Bard, Jawi | Storyteller and Artist
Geoffrey Edward | Curator, Pt Leo Estate Sculpture Park, former Director Geelong Gallery and former Senior Curator; Sculpture & Glass, National Gallery of Victoria
The previous recipients of The Hancock Prospecting and Roy Hill Sculpture Award at Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe are James Rogers (NSW) and Hiroyuki Kita (Japan).
Sculpture by the Sea also announced today that Hancock Prospecting and Roy Hill will donate the sculpture ‘Sandbar’ by artist James Rogers to the Town of Cottesloe for its permanent public collection. ‘Sandbar’ was the recipient of The Hancock Prospecting and Roy Hill Sculpture Award at Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe last year.
Mayor of Town of Cottesloe Lorraine Young said: “The Town is delighted to accept this generous donation from Hancock Prospecting and Roy Hill. Sculpture by the Sea is a very significant part of Cottesloe life. To have this wonderful piece added to our sculpture collection is a gift to the Cottesloe community and to the hundreds of thousands of visitors we welcome to Cottesloe every year.”
Over 70 sculptures have been selected for this year’s exhibition, with artists from 14 countries participating in the much-loved annual event. Since 2005, 1,298 sculptures by nearly 600 artists from 44 countries have been viewed by an estimated 3.5 million visitors from across Perth and all over the world.
This year’s Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe runs until 18 March 2024.