Artist Lis Johnson has been selected by the ACT Government following a two-stage open public tender process to create a public artwork celebrating the Hon. Susan Ryan AO.
Minister for the Arts Tara Cheyne welcomed the decision and said the artwork will be a figurative work that realistically depicts the subject in bronze.
"Lis Johnson has 30 years' experience producing public artwork and has completed numerous life-size bronze sculptures, including of Dame Enid Lyons and Dame Dorothy Tangney who stand adjacent to Old Parliament House and Sir John Gorton (with Suzie Q) in Parkes.
"Lis' artistic approach is exceptional. She focuses on capturing the unique personality and accurate physical presence of her subject and is able to convey movement, character and the spirit of the subject through her work.
"She is also able to create a wonderful sense of relationship between the public and the sculpture, distinguishing her work from the monumental style of bronze sculptures of the past which tended to place the subject as more remote from the viewer," said Minister Cheyne.
In August 2022, Minister Cheyne announced that the Hon Susan Ryan AO would be the subject of the Woman of Significance Public Art Commission with the artwork to be created by a woman or non-binary artist. The ACT Government has committed $200,000 to the project.
Lis Johnson will now work closely with the family of Susan Ryan to capture the subject's personality and character using photographs as well as family recollections and memories to develop the artwork.
The ACT Government is continuing to work closely with Susan Ryan's family and the National Capital Authority (NCA) to find a suitable location for the sculpture.
