- D396 - Is this the year?
- 29 July 05
- Drawing
- 15 Comments
D396 is the official number given to me by the Art Gallery of New South Wales on 29 July 2005 for Shock and Awe in this year's Dobell Prize.
The "D" stands for Dobell Drawing Prize, a hark back to quite recent times when the Dobell was conducted at the same time as the Archibald Prize for portraiture ("A"), and the Wynne ("W") and Sulman ("S") Prizes for other painting categories. The Dobell for the past two years has been run later in the year and separate from the other prizes.
The "396" means I'm entrant #396, as I was walking out of the Art Gallery's loading dock at 12:30PM today entrants 397 through to 406 were walking in. At 4:00PM no more entries will be accepted, but by that stage I'd imagine the total number entries at 600+.
No wonder it odds-on that this year, like the previous 3 years, will result in non-selection for hanging. I will be put out of my misery on 3 August.
UPDATE [3 August 2005]: No, this is not the year.
comments
gosh that is an awful lot of entrants ! I wish you the best of luck this year, that particular drawing is one of my favorites.
Posted by Cin on 30.07.05 at 05.38am
Hope you have better karma than your fish.
Seriously, break a leg, or whatever is the art world equivalent.
Posted by Miss Daze on 30.07.05 at 11.14am
You have a far wider audience here (and a very appreciative one too) and I do wish you luck!
Posted by janey on 30.07.05 at 11.55am
D396 is a great number! ‘D’ for Definately and everyone notices the number when there is a 96 in it. Think the art term might be break a paintbrush or pencil, although it might have more impact if you break a hand (which ever you use the most). Will check back for your great news on August the third!
Posted by Anonymous on 30.07.05 at 06.35pm
Garrrggghhhhh. Don’t pay any attention to what is considered as fashionable this year! I’ve watched many put themselves through misery each year - some eventually get a break but it doesn’t mean their art is any better than it was before. Let loose tonight! You are great Detlef!!
Posted by Anonymous on 03.08.05 at 09.57pm
A Paris scene winning the Australian Dobell ... ridiculous!
Posted by Anonymous on 05.08.05 at 01.46pm
sorry Detlef. . .I hope you’re not too discouraged because the work is terrific. . .just remember your advice to me. . .
Posted by Cin on 06.08.05 at 10.21pm
Sorry to hear you weren’t accepted - I heard a wonderful tale of a student at the Royal Academy in London who was one of the labouring student team that passed the hundreds of entries for the Summer exhibition in front of the judges. One of the pieces was one of his own paintings and each time it was rejected he put it back in the ‘yet to be decided’ area. On about the fifth time it was put in front of the judges it was accepted!
Been looking at your website again—really wonderful stuff. I really admire your commitment to big time-consuming pieces and I really liked ‘Shock and Awe’.
Posted by Julie Oakley on 07.08.05 at 07.13am
A very heart felt thank you to all of you for your ongoing interest and kind words - greatly appreciated.
Posted by Detlef on 07.08.05 at 12.34pm
Detlef, I like any one of your works better than the one that won. Honestly, I don’t know how one can get into the minds of judges. I have confidence that someday, maybe next year this time, you will achieve the rewards and attention you deserve.
Posted by Karen Winters on 08.08.05 at 10.52am
So sorry, Detlef - but you still have a major international fan club!
Posted by rufus on 09.08.05 at 12.44am
Maybe next year, but does it matter? Your work is really interesting (and I don’t mean that lightly). I will be following your progress. Your work is prize enough…
Posted by The Space Above the Couch on 09.08.05 at 06.33pm
Rejection is part of the whole process, isn’t it, but we keep on. I hope the disappointment was temporary and I’ll bet anything that you’ve already been back at the drawing board since the 3rd. Your work is excellent.
Posted by Laura on 09.08.05 at 08.43pm
I know that feeling of anticipating disappointment. Consider the looming misery as nourishment for you artistic soul!
Who knows you might get picked too! Then you can talk about how fame is irrelevant to creative juices and your artistic spirt is beyond those that are named “awards” “prizes” and “recognition”.
Either way we still think your works is amazing! What do galleries know?
Posted by Katherine on 10.08.05 at 04.03pm
I’m glad that you put up this entry ‘cause I was too afraid to ask. Sorry to hear that you didn’t get ‘hung’. Sadly, it’s their loss.
Keep on keeping on!
Posted by Robyn on 11.08.05 at 03.07pm