Riches & Isolation of Cossack

12 July 2008

The haunting buildings of Cossack in the Pilbara make a fitting backdrop to what is both the most isolated and richest regional art prize in Australia.

From small beginnings, the Cossack Art Award is now greatly respected and recognised throughout Australia, attracting artists from around the country with total prize money of $76,000.

The 2008 exhibition, held during July and August, was judged by Judith Blackall from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. In a testament to the development of Aboriginal art in the Pilbara over recent years, seven of the twelve categories were won by local Aboriginal artists.

Guests at the Cossack Art Award ceremony

The Shire of Roebourne has presented this exhibition in partnership with Rio Tinto since 1997, with support from several other resource companies in the region.

The exhibition, which hangs on the stone walls of the old Bonds store and other buildings, attracts thousands of locals and visitors each year.

It provides regional artists an opportunity to present their work in a recognised forum and offers the opportunity for regional artists to view the work of other artists from throughout Australia.

Cossack is an historic town with a chequered history and beautifully preserved buildings. Situated at the mouth of the Harding River north of Roebourne, it was established as a major shipping port in the 1800s. It has since seen a thriving pearling fleet and the gold rush and has been home to a turtle soup factory and leprosarium. After being abandoned in the 1950s when a larger port was established at Port Samson, restoration of the town’s buildings began in the 1970s.