Speech by Euan Macleod 2009
Judge 2009.

The exhibition, once again, is very varied and a beautiful show of drawings by artists that deserve the recognition of being invited to hang in the Kedumba Drawing Award. The main criteria for me was whether these works best represented them and were they ultimately able to stand alongside some of the superb examples of drawing already in the Kedumba collection. I congratulate Jeffrey and Marlene Plummer for their efforts in achieving, through the annual Kedumba Drawing Award, a collection of substance that is celebrating twenty years.

Remembering that the collection is paramount I have selected the following works, which I feel will strengthen and enhance it and I am happy with my selections.

David Fairbairn: these two are stand out works. They stood out initially and held on when I returned after a short break. They didn’t lose anything and I like the fantastic investigation of forms in space almost illustrating the process of death and decay. I have selected D.G. No 6.

Dagmar Cyrulla: Both her works have a beautiful intimacy in terms of scale and subject matter. Although both drawings use different materials there is a consistency in the mood attained. Self Portrait is my selection.

Ian Marr: a beautiful example of en plein air drawing directly investigating just what is in front of him. The aspect that it has been done on canvas is a nice twist on the debate of what is a drawing and what is a painting. Outside the Met is the name of the Ian’s drawing.

Derek Whitehead: to me this is a very personal drawing that has its roots in the modernist tradition but is just more interested in investigating an idea in a very individual way again with a lovely sense of the intimate. The Music Makers is my choice.

Adam Cullen: this is a typical example of Adam’s work showing directness, strength and his interest in the feral. Naturally the name of the work reflects this – Pig man dog.

Adrian Lockhart: I find this a very sensitive work in pencil and wash encapsulating motion. The arabesque line is familiar to us all but no one in the art world owns it. Bather II is my selection.

My congratulations go to all the artists.

Euan Macleod
Judge
October 2009