Provocative shark image wins $25,000

A provocative image won the major acquisitive prize in the prestigious City of Albany Art Prize last month.

Untitled, by Richard Lewer, is an observation of the controversial issue of shark culling, particularly in Western Australia.

Social realist painter Lewer, who used oil on epoxy-coated steel to create the simple composition of a shark hanging against a turbulent ocean, said the painting was the result of living in Fremantle amid the shark culling protests.

"The painting is a response to the situation of shark culling, which was so prominent at the time," he said.

"Having a great white caught and hung is very dramatic and (the painting) documents the activity of taking the creature away from the sea in such a dramatic manner."

Lewer was awarded $25,000 as part of the prize and will return to Albany in February next year to complete a four-week residency at the Vancouver Arts Centre.

Jurek Wybraniec received $2500 and the commendation prize for his work Gone (Scene 1).

Anh Do, Kitty Malarvie, Christopher Hopewell, Alice Wormald and Nathan Taylor also received highly commended mentions from the judges for their high quality of work.

A quarter of more than 3800 visitors who viewed the exhibition, which wrapped up last Sunday, voted in the people's choice award, which was awarded to Anh Do for his painting Man 2.

The people's choice award, worth $2500, is sponsored by the City of Albany and Man 2 will be displayed alongside Untitled at the North Road council offices.