Entries are currently open to Hornsby Shire Council’s Remagine Art Prize.
Now in its fourteenth year, Remagine has become a staple on the calendar of waste and environment-themed art prizes in Australia. This time around, we’re calling on artists to submit works in response to the theme Crossroads of Consumption, with a total of $11,000 in prize value up for grabs.
Read on for some insights into this year’s theme and some tips from Council’s Team Leader, Strategy, Projects and Education, Michael Neville.
What does ‘crossroads of consumption’ mean?
As we continue to exploit the Earth’s natural resources and participate in unsustainable practices, humanity’s demand for ecological resources each year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year.
Overconsumption emphasises the urgent need for us to reconsider our consumption patterns and promote sustainable practices to protect the planet’s ecosystems and biodiversity. We must minimise the impacts of waste and pollution.
“Understanding that each and every one of us can contribute towards building a sustainable future is the first step towards making it a reality,” says Council’s Team Leader, Strategy, Projects and Education, Michael Neville.
“Whether that’s through recycling, upcycling or through another means, it’s the small decisions we make daily that add up to spell out the future of our planet.
“We’re all used to hearing the old slogan ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, but when consumption is at an all-time high, we really need to be placing some more emphasis on another “R” — Rethink. Rethinking what you purchase and avoiding waste is the best option of all.”
Why is this year’s Remagine theme important?
The main problem with overconsumption is that the creation, packaging, transportation and disposal of consumer goods has an impact at every stage of the product life cycle. Sourcing the raw materials for our every day goods has a raft of flow on effects. For example, the use of plastic packaging leads to plastic pollution in our waterways and oceans. Microplastic pollution is being detected in many marine creatures and even now in humans.
Understanding our impact and the choices we make every day is paramount to building a sustainable future.
Tips to make your entry stand out to our judges
Here are Michael’s top three tips to make the most of your entry to the 2024 Remagine Art Prize.
- Enter on time!
It might seem obvious, but that deadline can sneak up on you! Make sure you have your entry prepped well ahead of time and why not enter it before the deadline to avoid any last-minute stress or technological hurdles?
- Be bold. Be creative. Be you.
We’re looking for your response to this year’s theme. We’re all in the waste crisis together, meaning all voices should be heard loud and clear when looking at our future. Make sure your voice really shines in your work.
- Capture your work in its best light
If you’re submitting a physical work, make sure you photograph it well and in its best light. If possible, photograph it outside, in open shade so that there’s plenty of light but it’s evenly lit.
How to enter the Remagine Art Prize
If you want to contribute to the message about the environment, while also making a name for yourself and immersing yourself with likeminded peers, we would love you to consider entering.
Entries close at 5pm on Thursday, 21 March 2024.
Find the Terms and Conditions of entry and enter your artwork at: https://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/remagine
 Bernadette Smith, Liquid steps Photograph digitally printed on Chromaluxe recycled aluminium, 102×102, 2023. |  Jason McDonald, Rolling with The Devil Lasercut photograph on cotton rag, 75×53, 2023. |
 William Solomon, Sunset, 100x80x, 2023. |  Edward Costello, Strains and Stresses Salvaged materials, 42x42x42, 2023. |
Click on images to englarge.
