Pan 14

The Heysen Prize was established by the Hahndorf Academy in 1997 to commemorate the nationally and internationally eminent local artist, Sir Hans Heysen (1877-1968). Sir Hans Heysen had a deep connection with the Australian landscape and is famous for his paintings and drawings of Hahndorf in the Adelaide hills, and the Flinders Ranges. He documented village life in Hahndorf and conserved the mature gums in the surrounding area. Because of the implied realism of his pictures, many think of his art as literal depictions of the landscape that existed in front of him. Art is a visual construction and Heysen was foremost an artist who was concerned with the conceptual statement that his pictures made. He was not adverse to adding trees where he felt they were needed and he removed trees and shrubs if they detracted from his intended statement.