From the Porter Report December 2009 - CRITICS HAVE THEIR SAY!

Mary with Artist Min Mae

Mary was pleased to be invited to attend the 19th Canberra Critics Circle Awards at the new Belconnen Arts Centre recently, at which the 2009 ACT Arts Awards were celebrated. A large number of people attended; many of those present, such as people from all the different art forms, had not visited the centre previously.

A daring Canberra artist who has made the naked human body her art medium was named 2009 Citynews Artist of the Year.

Min Mae, 33, of Ainslie, was named 2009 Citynews Artist of the Year. Min is a busy single mother who also choreographs and dances for the Radiance women's dance company, and was described by one judge as “a philosopher who takes the big questions in life and explores the
possible answers to them by using the body." The artist believes that her artworks are empowering, not exploitative.

Her challenging works cross genre and art form using the diverse environments of galleries, shops and the streets to generate stimulating unions between visual artists, dancers, actors, writers, musicians and their audiences.

Min Mae received a cheque to the value of $1,000 and a painting by former public servant-turned artist Roger Beale, presented and donated by Solander Gallery owner Joy Warren.

Robyn Archer, spoke at the Awards, and said, in her view, it was important to have a body of commentators on the arts who could claim some authority, not just opinion.