Queensland College of Art (QCA) Masters research student, Hadieh Afshani has been awarded the 2014 St George Art Award for her stirring oil painting Motion of Light.
Hadieh emigrated from Tehran to Australia in 2006 and her most recent works explore the journey of self-discovery experienced by migrants.
Motion of Light considers the moment when a space becomes a place of meaning. The warm glow emanating from the centre of the image, with the faintest silhouette of a figure, hints at acceptance of transformation in a new, unknown place.
The winning painting forms part of Hadieh’s research body of work for her Masters degree.
“This work is heavily influenced by the study I’m doing at the moment. It’s great that it’s also receiving attention from outside of the University,” she said.
As a finalist and winner of numerous Australian art awards and competitions recently, Hadieh is thrilled to gain further recognition for her work.
“It makes me hopeful to see the appreciation for my work, as I wouldn’t consider it ‘mainstream art’ in Australia at the moment. It’s truly surprising and makes me hopeful for future,” said Hadieh.
Find out more about the St George Art Awards and view the winning and highly commended artworks online. They’re also on display at the Hurstville Museum & Gallery in Sydney until 14 December 2014.
Visit Hadieh’s website for more information about her work and achievements.
Find out more about the Master of Visual Arts, and other postgraduate programs at the Queensland College of Art.