Carew Counsel Supports the Signature of M Art Prize

Spirit of Melbourne painting by Lorena Young

Carew Counsel became involved with the Signature of M event this year to acknowledge the need for the development of young artists of Victoria and to make a contribution to the homeless of Melbourne. Cities have long inspired artists. Urban subjects and artistic fascination with the urbane can be traced back to early Modernity in the Western civilization. The Signature of M event is a project that explores and summarizes perspectives and emotional values, as well as defining the architectural, cultural and the commercial landscape that shapes this unique city of Melbourne in today’s times through art.

Carew Counsel has acquired the Spirit of Melbourne piece (pictured above) by local Melbourne artist Lorena Young.

It is rare for a project to draw a large group of artists in the search for the one artwork that best represents the spirit of the city. The Signature of M is such a project – and an ambitious and significant one at that. With a staggering $150,000 first prize award and a total prize pool of $180,000, Signature of M is a groundbreaking art competition in terms of prize money and concept. It seeks to encapsulate the essence of Melbourne in a tangible form of artwork. Signature of M would resonate particularly with Melbournians and artists born, residing in or simply fond of or curious about Melbourne for the city is renowned for its rich culture and nurturing, exciting arts scene.

"Signature of M" is the search to explore the question ‘What is Melbourne? However it is important to note that, Melbourne, as with every other great city in the world, is not constituted of only the visual arts. Its commerce, fashion, architecture and sports are as much of the social fabric as its art and culture. In fact, other sectors of society have a part to play in shaping or influencing the visual arts in one way or another. The challenge for the participating artist is to capture a cross-section of social influences and skilfully weave it into an image, one that will be synonymous with the city, one that will become its very symbol.

This image of Melbourne is of special significance as Signature of M is one of several Signature Series of the World cities competition, the other cities being Sydney, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Paris, Beijing, Moscow, Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo. The ultimate aim is to compare 12 World City cultures through artistic eyes and capture each cities’ energetic vibe in two dimensional artwork. Melbourne will be pitched against other cities based on the winning entries in each city and even if the Melbourne entry is unsuccessful the winners will be local artist and the homeless.

Carew Counsel is proud to be involved in such an exciting and innovative project and will continue its involvement supporting the rich culture of Melbourne, young artists and the homeless.