Cilla Gault

Local Contemporary Art Prize 2026 – Finalist

Image courtesy of the artist.

Cilla Gault | Up, up and a cray! | 2025 | gouache on canvas | 121 x 94cm

By presenting marine life in this improbable arrangement, viewers are invited to smile first, then wonder.

This artwork is a slightly chaotic celebration as a crayfish plays ringmaster, while a collection of pufferfish float above like mischievous balloons.

Yet beneath the whimsy sits a quiet tension, as the puffed forms hover between defence and delight. Set against a quiet, neutral backdrop, the creatures appear caught in a moment of performance, unsure if they are floating freely, escaping or being carefully arranged.