In a ceremony at the Royal Hibernian Academy, artist and designer Richard Malone was announced as the overall winner for the Golden Fleece Award 2023 …
Established by artist and educator Lillias Mitchell to provide resources for practising contemporary visual artists and makers to develop their artistic vision, the Golden Fleece Award is the largest of its kind in Ireland. The prize fund fluctuates from year to year and is divided among recipients by the Trustees; this year the prize fund is worth €35,000 in total.
In a ceremony at the Royal Hibernian Academy, artist and designer Richard Malone was announced as the overall winner, with sculptor Alan Meredith and ceramicist Cathy Burke receiving Special Awards. The other shortlisted artists and makers included Clodagh Emoe, Pierce Healy, Barbara Kneževi?, and Aisling O’Beirn.
Wexford-born, Malone’s artistic practice includes garment making, drawing, writing, textiles, weaving and performance, and his work is held in some of the world’s most important collections, including MoMA, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. With a background in fashion design, his practice intentionally crosses disciplines, questioning the nature of defined labour practices and the expected societal gender or class roles that they are given. With his Award of €15,000, Malone intends to refine the physicality of his sculptural and performance pieces, and to continue his research into Irish folklore and queer histories.
Sculptor Alan Meredith, who was awarded €10,000, will create new work that is more ambitious in terms of scale, allowing the visual impact of the wood grain and the dramatic effects of steam bending take on a new meaning. In his work using native Irish oak, the growth rings become more impactful and decades, if not centuries, of wood growth become apparent in order to tell the story of the tree and present the material in a new and most interesting light. Fellow Special Award recipient Cathy Burke, who also received €10,000, makes work that comments on the precarious state of our environment. She plans to use her Award to enhance her research into glazing techniques and making in a more environmentally conscious way.
The 2023 Golden Fleece Award had a distinguished Advisory Panel including Angela O’Kelly (jeweller and Head of Design for Body & Environment, NCAD); Roger Bennett (woodturner); Hugh Mulholland (Creative Director, Visual Arts, the MAC); Clíodhna Shaffrey (Director, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios) and Dr Audrey Whitty (Director, National Library of Ireland and former Deputy Director, National Museum of Ireland).
For further information on the award visit: www.goldenfleeceaward.com.
