BELEM LETT is featured in the latest edition of Art Edit.

Issue 36 draws on Belem Lett's exploration of preconceptions and how his manipulation of colour creates pieces of harmony.

Text by editor Rose of Sharon Leake and images from past exhibitions with Edwina Corlette Gallery, edition out now.

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Image detail;

'Limbo' 2022
oil, gesso, marble dust on aluminium composite panel
56 x 48 cm

It is with great pleasure that we announce Belem Lett has been selected as a finalist in the 2023 Paddington Art Prize for his work 'This Land Is Slippery'

The Paddington Art Prize is a $30,000 National acquisitive prize, awarded annually for a painting inspired by the Australian landscape.

Image:

'This Land Is Slippery' 2022
Oil, gesso, marble dust on aluminium composite panel
150 x 180 cm

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Congratulations to Belem Lett who is a finalist in this year's Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award for his work 'You Are The Centre Of The Universe'.

The biennial Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award is a significant national exhibition that aims to elevate the status of work on paper while supporting and promoting artists working with this medium.

Finalists will be exhibited in the Main Gallery at Hazelhurst Arts Centre in Sydney from 16 September to 12 November 2023.

Belem's next solo exhibition at the gallery is from 2 – 16 December 2023

Artwork:

You Are The Centre Of The Universe

Oil, gesso on Stonehenge paper 245gsm

228 x 168 cm

2023

Congratulations to Belem Lett who is a finalist in this year's Waverley Art Prize for his work 'Smile'.

Belem is one of the 38 finalists chosen from over 700 entries. Recognising his striking choice of colour and form, Waverley Woollahra Art School credits his signature technique of forcing the eye to follow the shifting stark palettes.

The Waverley Art Prize celebrates excellence across the local arts community and greater Australian contemporary Visual Arts sector, ultimately showcasing the brilliance of early to mid-career Australian artists.

The Finalist Exhibition for this Waverley Art Prize is held in Sydney at the Bondi Pavilion until August 13, 2023.

Artwork:

Smile

oil, gesso and marble dust on aluminium composite panel

150 x 122 cm

2023

Belem Lett is a finalist in the 2023 Omnia Art Prize with his works 'These Peaks Watch Over You' and 'Eclipse'. The Omnia Art Prize is one of Australia’s premier art awards and exhibitions for contemporary art. Read more here.

Artworks:

These Peaks Watch Over You

oil, clear primer on brushed aluminium composite panel

150 x 120 cm

2022

Eclipse

clear coat, acrylic, gesso, wood putty, screws, wood glue, pine

82 x 42 x 28 cm

2023

Congratulations to Belem Lett who is a finalist in this year's Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize with his work 'Vertical Horizon'.

Established in 2015, the Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize is a celebration of contemporary Australian painting. The finalist exhibition brings together a broad range of artists, both established and lesser-known, whose varied approaches to the painted medium conveys the breadth and diversity of painting in Australia today.

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Image:
BELEM LETT
Vertical Horizon 2023
Oil, gesso, marble dust on aluminium composite panel
122 x 94 cm

Belem Lett's bold artwork 'Move Me' (2022) is featured on the recent cover of Belle Magazine. Belem's piece celebrates the power of colour and is shown in an exclusive look inside interiors star Anna Spiro's home.

BELEM LETT
Move Me 2022
Oil, gesso, marble dust on aluminium composite panel
122 x 94cm

Congratulations to Belem Lett who has won the 2022 Omnia Art Prize for the most outstanding work in any medium.

The prize was judged by Charlotte Day, Director of Monash University Museum of Art. The exhibition is open until 30th May at St. Kevins College, Toorak.

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This Sun Burns For Us 2022
oil, gesso, marble dust on aluminum composite panel
152 x 150cm

Congratulations to Belem Lett who is a finalist in the 2022 Sulman Art Prize.

The Sulman Prize is awarded for the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project by an Australian artist. Established within the terms of Sir John Sulman’s bequest, the prize was first awarded in 1936. Each year the trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW invite a guest artist to judge this open competition. Finalists are displayed in an exhibition at the Gallery opening on the 14th of May.

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Bending Over Backwards 2022
oil, gesso, marble dust on aluminium composite panel
150 x 125 cm

The main idea of this show is to speculate if Sydney, Australia, a sprawling conurbation of coastal and landlocked suburbs, has anything artistically in common with the metropolis of Los Angeles. I am also speculating that there is such a thing as Australian cool, which might reflect or correspond with a perception held that LA art is definitely cool. LA’s emergence as an important art city has been an ongoing matter for debate but has recently become cemented by the by appearance in LA of some major new art museums and international galleries.

Artists: Ron Adams, Polly Borland, Chris Dolman, Belem Lett, Adam Norton, Philjames, Genevieve Felix Reynolds

Durden & Ray, Los Angeles
19 March - 9 April 2022

Title: The River, 2022
Medium: oil, gesso, marble dust on aluminium composite panel
Size: 81 x 61 cm

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The Blake Prize is one of Australia's longest standing and most prestigious prizes which encourages conversation about religion and spirituality through art and poetry.

Belem Lett has been named as a finalist for the 67^th Blake Prize, 2022.

Title: Electric Dreams, 2021
Medium: oil on aluminium composite panel
Size: 152 x 150 cm

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The Grace Cossington Smith Art Prize is inspired by the work of Abbotsleigh Old Girl and artist Grace Cossington Smith who made connections with her changing world through her drawing and painting.

Congratulations to Belem Lett for being finalist in three Grace Cossington Smith Art Prize awards for 2022.

Title: Wave Racer, 2021
Medium: oil on aluminium composite panel
Size: 110 x 80 cm

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The Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award is a significant national biennial exhibition that promotes excellence and innovation in the field of art on paper. This year, Hazelhurst received over 700 entries from artists throughout Australia.

Belem Lett has been selected to exhibit for the Art on Paper award 2022.

Title: Sunflower, 2021
Medium: oil, gesso on 12 sheets stonehenge paper
Size: 228 x 228cm

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Established in 2015, the Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize is a celebration of contemporary Australian painting. The finalist exhibition brings together a broad range of artists, both established and lesser known, whose varied approaches to the painted medium conveys the breadth and diversity of painting in Australia today.

The annual prize is an important opportunity for Bayside City Council to add exceptional works of art to its collection and to promote art and artists as a valuable part of the Bayside community.

Belem Lett's work 'Pineapples' 2019 is a finalist in this year's prize.

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The Glover Prize has announced its 42 finalists for 2020. These finalists represent the Judges’ selection of the best artworks of the Tasmanian landscape, chosen from the entrants coming from every Australian state and territory. These 42 artworks will be on display at the Glover Prize Exhibition at Falls Park Pavilion in Evandale, Tasmania during March this year.

The judges for the Glover Prize 2020 are Queensland Art Gallery | Museum of Modern Art (QAGOMA) director, Chris Saines; Sydney artist, Fiona Lowry; Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) Senior Curator and Dark Mofo Associate Artistic Director, Jarrod Rawlins. The judges next task is to carefully narrow down the 42 finalists to choose the winner of the $50,000 cash prize. After its display at the exhibition, the John Glover Society Inc. will acquire the winning artwork for its collection.

Belem Lett's work Burn Baby Burn 2020 has been selected as one of the finalists. The exhibition commences on 6 March, running from Saturday the 7th of March, 2020 and continuing until the end of the following weekend on Sunday the 15th of March, 2020, at the historic Falls Park Pavilion in Evandale.

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Since 2001 The Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award has been a significant national biennial exhibition that aims to elevate the status of works on paper while supporting and promoting artists working with this medium.

With prize money totalling $26,000, the Award showcases outstanding art created with, on or about paper. Artists compete for the $15,000 major award; the Young & Early Career Artist and the Friends of Hazelhurst Local Artist Awards ($5,000 each); and the People’s Choice Award ($1,000), plus the Hazelhurst Preparator’s choice Residency Award.

Image below: BELEM LETT 'Mountains of Madness' 2019, mixed media on paper, 148 x 110 cm

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Administered by Bendigo Art Gallery and held every two years, the Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize is designed to attract some of Australia’s finest contemporary artists, awarding a generous acquisitive cash prize of $50,000.

Belem Lett is a finalist in the 2019 award.

Image below: BELEM LETT 'Dip Me in the Water' 2019, oil on aluminium composite panel 163 x 122cm

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RocoColonial

4 May 2019 - 30 Jun 2019

RocoColonial is a major artist-initiated project by Gary Carsley and presented by Hazelhurst Arts Centre in partnership with Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.

ARTISTS: Brook Andrew | Tony Clark | Peter Cooley | Deborah Kelly | Belem Lett | Jennifer Leahy | Danie Mellor | Marc Newson | Técha Noble & Romance Was Born | Joan Ross | Justin Shoulder | Esme Timbery | Jenny Watson | Louise Zhang

CARTOUCHES: Renjie Teoh

Rococo and Colonial are often considered to be disparate, undisputable categories that neatly divide periods of time. This separation offers little opportunity to consider parallel histories - how similar or different things might be happening elsewhere or at the same time. RocoColonial is an exhibition that examines the overlap between Rococo and Colonial and begins by acknowledging that both can be intrinsically related and link Australia to a wider, speculative world of multiple, concurrent histories.

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22 March – 5 May 2019

An exhibition of artworks by 20 young Australian artists celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship, will be on view at the S.H. Ervin Gallery in Sydney from 22 March to 5 May 2019.

The Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship was established by Ms Beryl Whiteley (1917-2010) who generously allocated funds for the scholarship in memory of her son, Brett Whiteley, to provide young painters the opportunity to travel to Paris and explore Europe in order to develop their artistic practice. Since its inception in 1999, 20 young painters have followed in the footsteps if Brett Whiteley who won the Italian Government Travelling Scholarship in 1959.

The exhibition features works by Sally Anderson, Alice Byrne, Mitch Cairns, James Drinkwater, Petrea Fellow, Becky Gibson, Nathan Hawkes, Alan Jones, Nicole Kelly, Belem Lett, Lucy O’Doherty, Wayde Owen, Timothy Phillips, Tom Polo, Ben Quilty, Karlee Rawkins, Samuel Wade, Amber Wallis, Natasha Walsh, and Marcus Wills, alongside the four paintings by Brett Whiteley that secured him the Italian Government Travelling Scholarship, displayed together for the first time since 1959.

The exhibition presents the works by each artist that were entered and/ or won the scholarship, works resulting from their residency at the Cite Internationale des Art, Paris and recent work. The cohort of scholarship awardees features three artists who have gone on to win the Archibald Prize and many have now established themselves on the art scene and exhibit regularly.

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After receiving a record-breaking 482 entries this year and careful deliberation from the judges, the Glover Prize has announced its 42 finalists for 2019. These finalists represent the Judges’ selection of the best artworks of the Tasmanian landscape, chosen from the 482 entrants coming from every Australian state and territory, as well as a number of submissions from New Zealand, Italy, and the United Kingdom. These 42 artworks will be on display at the Glover Prize Exhibition at Falls Park Pavilion in Evandale, Tasmania during March this year.

The judges for the Glover Prize 2019 are Art Fairs Australia CEO and director, Barry Keldoulis; Sydney artist Joan Ross; and Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) director, Janet Carding. The judges next task is to carefully narrow down the 42 finalists to choose the winner of the $50,000 cash prize. After its display at the exhibition, the John Glover Society Inc. will acquire the winning artwork for its collection.

Belem Lett's work The River Runs/The People Come has been selected as one of the finalists. The exhibition commences on the March long-weekend, running from Saturday the 9th of March, 2019 and continuing until the end of the following weekend on Sunday the 17th of March, 2019, at the historic Falls Park Pavilion in Evandale.

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John Aslanidis, Belem Lett and Bridie Gillman are finalists in the 2018 Fisher's Ghost Award through Campbelltown Arts Centre.

The Fisher’s Ghost Art Award coincides with Campbelltown’s annual Festival of Fisher’s Ghost. Held over 10 days, the Festival dates back to 1956 and celebrates Australia’s most famous ghost – Frederick Fisher.

The Open section of the Art Award is acquisitive to the Campbelltown Art Centre permanent collection and is awarded prize-money of $20,000. In the past it has been awarded to some of Australia’s most respected Contemporary artists including Elisabeth Cummings, Khaled Sabsabi, Justene Williams, Marion Borgelt, Raquel Ormella and Philip Wolfhagen.

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Belem Lett has won the UNSW Print Prize as part of the 2018 Paddington Art Prize with his work River Reflection (After Boyd) (pictured).

The Paddington Art Prize is a $30,000 national acquisitive prize for a painting inspired by the Australian landscape, now in it’s 15th year. In addition, UNSW Art & Design offers a selected artist the opportunity to create a limited edition print and a $3,000 prize.

Belem Lett has been selected as one of five finalists in the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Prize for 2017.

The Glenfiddich Artist in Residence Prize is now celebrating its fifteenth year. This program invites Australian artists to work and live for three months at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Scotland. The program offers the artist a residency prize valued at $21,000 as well as the opportunity to collaborate with other international artists in the historic and scenic Scottish highlands. 

The finalists exhibition was held at the Sydney Contemporary Art Fair 2017.

Image: 'Jenny I'll Meet You At The Grocery Store'  2017, oil on aluminium composite panel, 165 x 244 cm

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Congratulations to Belem Lett who has been names as a finalist in the Salon des Refusés 2017.

The Salon des Refusés was initiated by the S.H.Ervin Gallery in 1992 in response to the large number of works entered into the Archibald Prize which were not selected for the final exhibition.   

The 2017 selection panel comprised James Dorahy art advisor, Michael Reid Galleries; Elisabeth Hastings curator & author, ‘Kevin Connor’ monograph; and Jane Watters, Director, S.H. Ervin Gallery.

The exhibition is at the S.H. Ervin Gallery, housed in the historic National Trust Centre on Observatory Hill, The Rocks in Sydney.

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Belem Lett is a finalist in the inaugural Birmingham Prize. The overall winner will receive a $20,000 cash prize generously donated by Elaine Bermingham. 

The Elaine Bermingham National Watercolour Prize in Landscape Painting is a unique triennial art prize which aims to celebrate excellence and innovation in the watercolour medium. This non-acquisitive prize is open to all Australian artists and selected finalists will be exhibited in the Webb Gallery, located within Griffith University’s Queensland College of Art at South Bank, Brisbane. All finalist artworks will be available for sale to the public.

Belem Lett has been selected as a finalist in two awards – the Sunshine Coast Art Prize, which offers a major acquisitive prize of $25,000, plus an artist studio residency, and the Chippendale New World Art Prize, where the winner will receive a $10,000 residency grant at the Arte Studio Ginestrelle Retreat at Mount Subasio, Italy. The Chippendale New World Art Prize winner will be announced 2 June, and the Sunshine Coast Art Prize winner will be announced 1 September, 2016.

Belem Lett is a finalist in the Fisher's Ghost Art Award this year with his work 'Monster.' The Fisher's Ghost Award was established in 1956 and runs as part of the Fisher's Ghost Festival at the Campbelltown Arts Centre, New South Wales.  The opening ceremony is the evening of Friday, 6th of November, and the exhibition runs from 31st of October to 12th of December.

To see more of Belem's work, click here.

Belem Lett joins Genevieve Felix Reynolds for an exhibition titled “Bang Bang” at Chasm Gallery in New York: a boutique gallery in Brooklyn NY, focusing on Australian fine art. The show runs from 10 – 20 April, 2015.

Image: Belem Lett, Bang (2015) oil on aluminum composite panel, pigment, resin 62 x 45 x 6 cm.