Five years after his passing, Warrnambool photographer John ‘Jack’ Wilkins is being honoured in a new art prize competition.
Submissions for the inaugural Jack Wilkins Art Prize – Experimental Photography are open until March 14.
The prize aims to commemorate his life and contribution to the art world at the F Project Gallery.
Wilkins was a prominent Warrnambool photographer whose work was exhibited locally and at the National Gallery of Victoria. He was a university lecturer in photography for 16 years. Wilkins lost his battle with prostate cancer, aged 71, in 2017.
His wife Param Ratnam has organised the competition. “I wish I had told him that I was going to do this,” she said. “He is someone who never liked someone putting himself in prominence but I think he would have been really pleased.”
Ms Ratnam said months after he passed, a group exhibition in honour of his love for connections – Beyond Connections (also made into a book) – was held.
Another exhibition was set to run in 2019 but then COVID-19 restrictions were implemented.
“When he passed away I was too devastated, so I was talking to (the F Project’s) Des (Bunyon) about having an art prize in his name for emerging artists,” Ms Ratnam said.
“Jack was a lecturer at Deakin University in Warrnambool and always loved working with young ones, so I thought an emerging artist prize would be appropriate. Mentally I wasn’t ready to organise that, then last year I thought ‘Warrnambool is going to forget him’.”
Two anonymous donors have stepped forward to fund the non-acquisitive prize. First place is a copy of one of his works and $1000, and the second is just a copy one of his works.
A selection of the entries will be exhibited at the F Project Gallery from April 6 to May 1. The competition is open for all levels of experience.
Ms Ratnam said organisers planned to run the competition annually, hoping to include a painting category next year. “Because he enjoyed all of the arts,” she said.
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