‘the churchie’ is one of Australia’s leading prizes for emerging artists. Presented at the Institue of Modern Art since 2019, the finalists’ exhibition provides a survey of the compelling and diverse work being produced by emerging artists today.

The Major Prize winner will receive a $15,000 non-acquisitive cash prize provided by long-standing sponsor BSPN Architecture, to be announced by a guest judge, Rhana Devenport ONZM, Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia, at the opening of the exhibition Friday 8 October 2021.

The judge will also award a Special Commendation Prize of $5,000, sponsored by Fardoulys Constructions, as well as two $1,000 Commendation Prizes sponsored by Madison Cleaning Services. A People’s Choice Award of $3,000, also sponsored by Madison Cleaning Services, will be awarded by popular vote at the conclusion of the finalists’ exhibition.

The finalists exhibition will be guest curated by artist, writer, and curator Grace Herbert in a role sponsored by Armitstead ART Consulting.

Official Opening and Prize Announcement
Friday 8 October 2021

Exhibition continues 9 October – 18 December 2021.

About Alexa

Alexa Malizon is a Canberra-based artist who brings insight to the lived cultural experience of existing within a diaspora. Born in Australia to Filipino immigrants, her identity has been conflicted from the upbringings that she has to conform to from two different worlds. She explores this intersectionality through a range of photographic media to re-connect with her cultural roots and to engage with themes such as identity, miscommunication, cultural shame and the representation of the sexualised ethnographic body.

Malizon completed her Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) at the Australian National University School of Art and Design in 2020. She exhibited her work in the ANU School of Art and Design Graduating Exhibition in 2019 and 2020, and VIEW2020 in PhotoAccess at the beginning of 2020. In 2020, she was the recipient of the ANU School of Art & Design Emerging Artist Support Scheme (EASS): Tuggeranong Arts Centre Exhibition Award culminating in her first solo institutional exhibition in 2021. She recently was one of twenty-four artists selected to participate in Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA)'s Hatched: National Graduate Exhibition in 2021.

Read more about the prize here > http://www.churchieemergingart.com/2021-prize

Institute of Modern Art > https://ima.org.au/exhibitions/the-churchie-emerging-art-prize-2021/