Winners of Proud 2005 announced.

Art that doesn't pander to collectors' tastes is hard to find - if you need a reminder of how art + ideas generates excitement for the viewer then go directly to the exhibition of the VCA student's work at Proud 2005.
Just a brief backgrounder to this exhibition, which may in time come to enjoy higher recognition. Proud has been running since 1996 - the exhibition is open to all visual arts students at the VCA, and apart from a size constraint on the works, there are no other preselection criteria. It showcases works by students as they prepare to finalise their portfolios for the end of year. The exhibition has a great feel, for although it is uneven in quality and very crowded, it has a sense of discovery for the viewer - look hard and be rewarded by some fine works.

The various winners in the Proud 2005 exhibition are listed below. Surprisingly, three of the artists won multiple prizes, which seemed to indicate the judges were a little blinkered.

Those who are able to visit the exhibition should take the opportunity to watch the videos, especially Refuge by Lucas Maddock which is a revealing performance hosted in the moat at the National Gallery of Victoria. Whilst edited with a comic flavour, the Keystone Cops rushing out of the NGV trying to fish the artist floating in the moat in a replica refuge boat, does as they say in the movie show, work at all levels - five stars.

The winning video by Ross.J. Coulter Who do you like best? was likewise a spoof on tv reporting and the build-up of image - Ross, we like you best. This won the ACMI Cinema Prize along with Anastasia Klose's installation The Silent Protest of Anastasia Klose.

The Friends of the VCA - First prize, best overall artwork was won by Gabrielle de Vietri for Ideas Catalogue.

The Fini Frames Digital Prize was awarded to Pip Ryan Self Portrait #1 - a sepia coloured photographic print on canvas.

Senior Art Supplies prizes for best 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Post-Graduate works were awarded to the following students:

• 1st year prize went to Julie Anne Milinski for Through August, into July, ink jet print
• 2nd year prize went to Sophia Hewson for Untitled. This is a beautiful work which stood out for being so delicious to look at.
  
• 3rd year prize went to Shannon Holopainen for Somewhere out there, printed text on paper.
• The Post Grad work to Anastasia Klose, who you might recall also shared the ACMI Cinema Prize for video.

The Tolarno Galleries Prize went to Ross.J.Coulter, the co-winner of the the ACMI Cinema Prize for video.

The Women's Trust Book prize went to Gabrielle de Vietri (the winner of the major prize).

The Terry Cutler prize was awarded to Mia Salsjo for Necklace.

Finally, the Ladner & Fell Art Gallery prize was awarded to Laureen Lansdown for Rorschach 2.

You'll find PROUD 2005at:
Margaret Lawrence Gallery @ VCA
40 Dodd St (cnr Grant St), Southbank
Opening - 6pm Thursday, September 29
Showing 11am - 5pm weekdays & 12noon - 5pm weekends, Sept 30 – Oct 6.
More info at www.vcasu.org.au or VCASU Ph: 9682 1123 For more information click here.