Dr Karike Ashworth wins Moreton Art Prize 2022

Published 31 May 2022

Every household uses it, but we seldom think of it as art - Viva! the winning exhibit at this year’s Moreton Bay Region Art Prize 2022 makes us re-think the significance of ordinary paper towel, casually used in the home to wipe and waste.

First prize winner, Dr Karike Ashworth is known for her use of ambiguity and humour in her artwork. A roll of Viva paper towel hanging in the Pine Rivers Art Gallery seems strange, but a closer look reveals a single, line of white thread, painstakingly embroidered all the way through the paper roll. Almost 30 hours of unpaid work went into sewing the thread, changing a roll of paper towel into a work of art that speaks to the unseen work and effort needed to be done daily in our households.

Mayor Peter Flannery said, he was amazed at the endless talent in our artistic community in Moreton Bay with almost 200 entries in the Moreton Bay Region Art Prize 2022 and another 66 entries in the Outdoor Gallery, a new initiative in 2022.

“I am always surprised by the winning exhibits; you can’t pick them! Every year we have these thought-provoking artworks that make us stop and question the world around us.

“Art has a great ability to tap into the mindset of the community, and these unique, often unconventional exhibits certainly reflect themes we at Council know are very important to our Moreton Bay community such as responsible waste management, the value of work, our identity, protecting the environment and sustainability.

“Investing in our local galleries, hosting art exhibitions and funding the prizes attracts new talent and provides the incentive for artists to put in the hours and hours of work that go into their creations.

This year the prize pool totals $10,000, with the first prize of prize of $5,000 awarded to Dr Karike Ashworth for Viva! , second prize of $3,000 to Shannon Michaels for I Like Her Softness, $1,500 for third place to Helen Evans for Under the Mountain I, and the $500 People’s Choice Award to Kevin Pearson for In the Beginning.

“The Moreton Bay Region is home for many artists and our community really values our art, cultural and learning spaces, that’s why we invested over $20 million in libraries, arts and community facilities in 2021-2022” he said.

The new Outdoor Gallery proved to be a popular addition to the Moreton Bay Region Art Prize 2022 this year with 6 banner entries displayed at various locations around the Moreton Bay area.

“I’m amazed at the endless talent in our artistic community in Moreton Bay. Every year we see a fresh palette of art works that express our local areas and culture in very original ways.

View all the 2022 Moreton Bay Region Art Prize winning artworks