Victorian Indigenous Art Awards: Arts Victoria People's Choice Award Announced

California Gully artist Simon Penrose has been honoured for a second time at the 2012 Victorian Indigenous Art Awards, after being voted the winner of the $2,500 Arts Victoria People’s Choice Award.

Eyes are the Window to the Soul, Simon Penrose, 2011.

Premier and Minister for the Arts Ted Baillieu said Simon’s portrait photograph of his nephew, entitled Eyes Are The Windows To The Soul, had been voted the crowd favourite among the 27 works shortlisted for the Victorian Government’s Victorian Indigenous Art Awards.

The People’s Choice win follows Simon’s win at the Awards ceremony on 9 March, where he received the $5,000 CAL Victorian Indigenous Art Award for Works on Paper.|

Mr Baillieu congratulated Simon on his stunning work and on his double win at this year’s awards.

The Victorian Indigenous Art Awards are a Victorian Government initiative designed to raise the profile of Victorian Indigenous art and build career opportunities for Indigenous artists across the State.

The 2012 Victorian Indigenous Art Awards exhibition continues until 31 March 2012 at the awards partner gallery fortyfivedownstairs.

People from outside Melbourne can view the works featured in this year’s exhibition via the Arts Victoria website www.arts.vic.gov.au/peopleschoice