PARKES.- The judges stated that ‘this photograph of Nathan Beard’s aunt Mae Khong has an immediate and compelling emotional pull. Through its tight composition and simple colour palette interspersed with soft blue tones, combined with the vulnerability of a private yet familiar pose, the artist creates a portrait of palpable intimacy. Even though we can’t see the subject’s face, we are drawn into a connection with her, perhaps sensing the weight of her life experiences or recognising our own loved ones in this quietly captured moment. There is both resilience and fatigue legible in Mae’s posture. With water droplets still on her skin, this is a candid scene but it also speaks to the depth of familial connection between artist and subject.'
Congratulations to Nathan, who has won $30,000 courtesy of the Gallery and photographic equipment valued at $20,000 courtesy of our Imaging Partner, Canon Australia.
Congratulations to Phuong Nguyen Le, who has won the First Time Finalist Award for his work Nghỉ/Nghiêm (Attention/At ease), 2025. Phuong wins $3,000 courtesy of EIZO.
The judges said this was a conceptually innovative portrait that has been executed with skill and tenderness. 'Phuong Nguyen Le has chosen to work with a technique that directly connects to the story at the centre of this work – illuminating photography’s role in painful histories including war and conflict. In adapting this technology to create a pair of beautifully rendered images, the artist performs an act of reclamation. All elements of the work are carefully considered, including the device of duplication which poetically conveys the complexity of the subject Lê Ngọc Long’s wartime experience.’
Congratulations to Hussein Abdirahman Mohamud who won the Art Handlers' Award for his work UNTITLED: 01 2025 from the series What Remains?. Hussein wins $3,000 courtesy of IAS Fine Art Logistics.
The art handling team said they were moved by the story behind Mohamud's portrait and the themes it explores. ‘This is a powerful work that makes us consider the broad impact of losing one’s home, particularly for those who have been double displaced and are experiencing a threat to the stability and comfort of their home once again. In this portrait, the subject possesses a striking stillness in the midst of her living room, where cardboard boxes, tissues and a picture that’s been removed from the wall remind us of the chaos of change.’
