The Gold Award continues to give through artists

Published on 01 November 2019

A finalist in the 2018 Gold Award has donated one of his works to Rockhampton Art Gallery’s permanent collection, continuing a tradition established with the first Gold Award in 2012.

Bundit Puangthong has donated Sharp Knife, 2018, to the Gallery under the Federal Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, as a way of giving back to the gallery for the opportunity to be involved in the 2018 Gold Award.

Puangthong’s vivid paintings bring together traditional Thai art, American pop art and contemporary street art in an attempt to strike a balance between the cultures in which he lives.

Puangthong is not the first Gold Award finalist to donate artwork to Rockhampton Art Gallery. Each year since its inception in 2012, several finalists have donated works to show their appreciation for the acknowledgment and inclusion in this Award.

Puangthong said that it was a great honour to be part of the GOLD Award last year.

“I am thankful for the opportunity and proud to be part of Rockhampton Art Gallery’s growing collection of living artists. This felt like a good way to show my thanks to all the support Queensland has given me over the years.”

The Gold Award was established following a substantial bequest to the then Rockhampton Art Gallery Trust from the Estate of Moya Gold in 2010 for the acquisition of Australian paintings.

Chair of Rockhampton Regional Council’s Community Services Committee, Cr. Rose Swadling said that it was through the generosity of artists like Bundit Puangthong that Rockhampton Art Gallery is able to ensure its active collecting and through that, representation of contemporary practice in this nationally significant collection.

“A special thank you to Edwina Corlette Gallery for enabling this work to become part of Rockhampton Art Gallery’s nationally significant collection. It really does show the power of donations,” she said.

The Federal Government’s Cultural Gift Program offer tax incentives to encourage people to donated cultural items to public galleries and museums.

Edwina Corlette, Director of Edwina Corlette Gallery said that in the wake of being invited to participate in the 2018 Gold Award, Bundit Puangthong is delighted to donate Sharp Knife 2018 to the Gallery’s permanent collection.

“That visitors to Rockhampton Regional Art Gallery can now enjoy Bundit’s unique view of the world through this large-scale highly-charged work is terrific.”

Sharp Knife, 2018 is currently on display in the Anderson Room in Rockhampton Art Gallery.

Moya Gold

Moya Gold (1928-2000) was a philanthropist and educator who understood the joys and opportunities that the arts and education can bring. Moya and her husband Mervyn Gold were dedicated supporters of the arts and Moya chose to organise her estate to benefit Rockhampton Art Gallery and CQUniversity Australia.

Born in Townsville, Moya graduated as a teacher in Brisbane and later completed a Bachelor of Arts at CIAE (Rockhampton) in 1980. She had a strong interest in students with special needs, eventually working with the Special Education Department of Education Queensland, supervising remedial teachers in a number schools. She was made a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators in recognition of her work.

A member of the CQU Alumni Committee, she was so impressed with the achievements of international students that she established the Moya Gold CQU International Student of the Year award in 1997, attending every ceremony personally to present the award.

Rockhampton Art Gallery is owned and operated by Rockhampton Regional Council.