Congratulations to National Art School alum Tommy Carman as the recipient of this year’s Prudence MacLeod Prize.

Supported by the Lansdowne Foundation, Tommy will undertake a 6‑month residency at Acme Studios, London from July this year.

Selection Panel Statement 

The selection panel was thoroughly impressed with the high calibre of applications across a diverse range of practices. The shortlisted candidates were all deserving, thoughtful and committed to their practices, making for a difficult final decision. The panel commends all applicants, particularly those who progressed to the interview stage. 

We are pleased to award the Prudence MacLeod Prize to Tommy Carman, National Art School MFA graduate (2022). 

The selection panel unanimously selected Tommy’s proposal for its intellectual ambition, artistic merit, historical depth, and complex articulation of how painting can critically engage with psychological and economic structures. His proposed project draws together London’s mercantile history, Reformation-era belief systems, and contemporary infrastructures of financial capitalism. The selection panel felt this offers an original and thoughtful position on artistic labour, competition, and power structures, one which is particularly relevant to our contemporary moment. The opportunity for Tommy to access primary research materials held at institutions such as the British Library, Lambeth Palace Library, and the Guildhall Library will provide a meaningful foundation for his studio practice and time at ACME.

With an impressive exhibition history in Sydney and a recent relocation to London, this residency was judged to be a timely and significant development for Tommy’s practice at this stage of his career. The selection panel congratulates Tommy and wishes him all the best for his residency.

Prudence MacLeod, Dr Kristen Sharp, Dr Yolunda Hickman