by Shane Sody
89 artworks in the 2025 Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize have been picked up, packed away, or delivered back to the artists, or to new homes with their buyers. But for one artist in particular, this is a time for celebration.
Shalini Kacker is a textile designer. Her painting “La Robe Rouge” has won the $2,500 Royal Adelaide Show “People’s Choice” award, gaining by far the most votes among the works that were on display throughout April at the Adelaide Festival Centre gallery.
Shalini Kacker’s painting “La Robe Rouge” (The Red Dress”) in place throughout April 2025 in the Festival Centre Gallery, during the 2025 Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize exhibition.
Her Instagram feed (“myhappee place”) has 1,468 followers. In a single post on Instagram in early April, Shalini asked her followers to vote for her painting “La Robe Rouge” in the People’s Choice Award.
“La Robe Rouge” is in acrylic and oil. In her artist statement, accompanying the artwork, Shalini described it as:
Shalini Kacker
“…an ode to the mesmerising beauty of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. The work is derived from a picture I took on one of my visits to the Botanic Garden recently.
“While the entire Garden is spectacular, the gorgeously vivid colours of the Lipstick Palm trees with the many layers of foliage surrounding it, especially beckoned me to paint this gardenscape.
“It also inspired the interplay of contrasting hues of green and red in the painting adding to its overall appeal. The ‘dress’ part of the title metaphorically refers to the cyclical shedding and renewal of plants in nature. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this artwork and earnestly hope that this representation impels others too, to experience the gardens’ enchanting beauty and charm in person.”
After being announced as the winner, Shalini told us:
“My gratitude to Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize organisation for holding this fabulous biennial art event for artists of all categories & to the Royal Horticultural & Agricultural Society of SA for sponsoring the People’s Choice award. I am filled with heartfelt gratitude as my work spoke to the people, as it reaffirms and encourages me in my journey in Visual Arts.”
The exhibition (and sales) continue on line
Until 30 June, it’s still possible to view (and purchase!) the artworks in the 2025 Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize. Either:
Browse
https://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/2025-art-prize-artworks
Or explore
in this virtual 3D gallery provided by AMB visual.
Some of the displayed artworks are no longer available for purchase.
At the time the exhibition was packed away (on 30 April) a total of 17 works had found new homes; generating $25,000 in total sales, benefiting both the artists and the Adelaide Park Lands Association.
But on 30 April, “La Robe Rouge” was still available for sale!
Runner-up in the People’s Choice voting was this painting (acrylic on canvas) by Anjana Thomas; a view downstream from the Torrens weir:
“Connections” by Anja Thomas. Runner-up in “People’s Choice” voting.
