2021 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize call for entries and judges revealed
Over the last 15 years, the William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize has emerged as an important annual survey of contemporary photographic practice in Australia and one of the most prestigious prizes in the country. Entries are now open and MGA invites artists to submit photographic work created over the last year “ a year that we will all never forget, with the shortlisted works exhibited at the gallery in September. The winning work will be awarded $30,000 and will be acquired into MGA's nationally significant collection of Australian photographs. The Smith & Singer People's Choice Award will be voted by the public with the recipient receiving $5,000. #bownessprize2021 #bownessphotographyprize #mgafoundation #artprize #photographyprize #australianphotographer #contemporaryphotography #mga #monashgalleryofart
#australianhomeofphotography @mga_photography
Venue: Monash Gallery of Art
Address: 860 Ferntree Gully Road Wheelers Hill VIC 3150
Date: Wednesday 12 May “ 30 June 2021
Web: https://www.mga.org.au/bowness-prize
: https://www.facebook.com/Bowness.Photography.Prize
: https://www.instagram.com/mga_photography/
: https://twitter.com/MGA_photography
: https://au.linkedin.com/company/monash-gallery-of-art
EMail: bowness@monash.vic.gov.au
Call: 03 5844 0500
Address: 860 Ferntree Gully Road Wheelers Hill VIC 3150
Date: Wednesday 12 May “ 30 June 2021
Web: https://www.mga.org.au/bowness-prize
: https://www.facebook.com/Bowness.Photography.Prize
: https://www.instagram.com/mga_photography/
: https://twitter.com/MGA_photography
: https://au.linkedin.com/company/monash-gallery-of-art
EMail: bowness@monash.vic.gov.au
Call: 03 5844 0500
The MGA Foundation recognises the importance of supporting practicing artists, and the positive impact the prize money for both the winner and Smith & Singer People's Choice Award will have on the recipients.
MGA is also welcoming back Colour Factory as a supporter of the Honourable Mentions selected by the judges. Colour Factory is a fine art photographic studio in Melbourne offering fine art printing vouchers to the three recipients.
Anouska Phizacklea, MGA Director commented that: The last year has been one of turmoil, as the global pandemic began to transform all our lives. This rapid change marks a paradigm shift in the way artists live and work. The Bowness Photography Prize is an anchor to our annual programming, and this year's prize will speak to a pivotal moment in all of our lives. How artists have chosen to respond to this shift is something that we are eagerly anticipating “ as artists add their voices to our cultural record.'
Kallie Blauhorn, Chair of the MGA Foundation commented, We are excited to start another season of entries for the Bowness Photography Prize. With a focus on excellence, this prize continues to highlight Australian contemporary photography. Each year we are amazed by the calibre of creativity from both emerging and established artists and cannot wait to see what this year's prize brings. We look forward to receiving entries from photographers across the country whom, if selected, will be a part of the 2021 Bowness Photography Prize exhibition later in the year and be eligible to win our $30,000 award.'
The MGA Foundation is thrilled to announce that MGA Director Anouska Phizacklea will be joined on the judging panel by award winning artist Del Kathryn Barton and Karen Quinlan AM, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, Australia.
Anouska Phizacklea (BA (hons), MA, MCom, CPA, GAICD) is Director of Monash Gallery of Art (MGA). Phizacklea has expertise across the visual, decorative and literary arts as well as finance and organisational development, with Masters Degrees in both Fine Arts and Commerce. She has held senior management positions at leading Victorian public institutions, Heide Museum of Modern Art and the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), and worked for many years in art research and valuations in galleries and auction houses in Melbourne and London. Since her appointment at MGA Phizacklea has curated group and single artist exhibitions with leading Australian practitioners including Allusion & Illusion: the fantastical world of Valerie Sparks (2018), Robyn Stacey: as still as life (2018), The Tucker portraits (2020) and commissioning exhibitions Portrait of Monash: the ties that bind (2020) and STAGES: photography through the pandemic (2021).
Karen Quinlan AM has been the Director of the National Portrait Gallery since December 2018. Quinlan commenced her curatorial career in 1994 at the National Gallery of Victoria before becoming Curator of the Bendigo Art Gallery in 1996. Quinlan served as the Director of the Bendigo Art Gallery from 2000 until 2018 and was instrumental in working with international cultural institutions, attracting high profile exhibitions to regional Victoria. This initiative enabled Bendigo and the surrounding region to benefit socially, culturally and economically throughout her tenure. Before moving to the ACT, Quinlan was a Professor of Practice and Director of the La Trobe Art Institute La Trobe University; a former Trustee of the State Library of Victoria; and Board Member and former Chair of the Public Galleries Association of Victoria. Quinlan has also previously been a board member of the Victorian Foundation of Living Australian Artists, for the National Gallery of Victoria and the VA Melbourne Fashion Festival. Quinlan was recently invited to be Patron of the Capital Arts Patrons' Organisation based in Canberra.
Finalists announced | Thursday 29 July 2021
Exhibition dates | 9 September “ 7 November 2021
MGA is also welcoming back Colour Factory as a supporter of the Honourable Mentions selected by the judges. Colour Factory is a fine art photographic studio in Melbourne offering fine art printing vouchers to the three recipients.
Anouska Phizacklea, MGA Director commented that: The last year has been one of turmoil, as the global pandemic began to transform all our lives. This rapid change marks a paradigm shift in the way artists live and work. The Bowness Photography Prize is an anchor to our annual programming, and this year's prize will speak to a pivotal moment in all of our lives. How artists have chosen to respond to this shift is something that we are eagerly anticipating “ as artists add their voices to our cultural record.'
Kallie Blauhorn, Chair of the MGA Foundation commented, We are excited to start another season of entries for the Bowness Photography Prize. With a focus on excellence, this prize continues to highlight Australian contemporary photography. Each year we are amazed by the calibre of creativity from both emerging and established artists and cannot wait to see what this year's prize brings. We look forward to receiving entries from photographers across the country whom, if selected, will be a part of the 2021 Bowness Photography Prize exhibition later in the year and be eligible to win our $30,000 award.'
The MGA Foundation is thrilled to announce that MGA Director Anouska Phizacklea will be joined on the judging panel by award winning artist Del Kathryn Barton and Karen Quinlan AM, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, Australia.
Meet the judges:
Del Kathryn Barton is a prominent Sydney-based artist who graduated from the College of Fine Arts at the University of New South Wales in 1993. Best known for her intricate and colourful paintings, Barton's practice also extends across sculpture, photography, collage, installation and film. Through her works, Barton explores sexuality, motherhood and the human form, while tapping into the world of dreams and the subconscious. Barton has been exhibited nationally and internationally including a survey exhibition at NGV in (2017). In 2008 and again in 2014 Barton won the Archibald Prize. She is also represented in the MGA Collection and has twice been a finalist in the Bowness Photography Prize.Anouska Phizacklea (BA (hons), MA, MCom, CPA, GAICD) is Director of Monash Gallery of Art (MGA). Phizacklea has expertise across the visual, decorative and literary arts as well as finance and organisational development, with Masters Degrees in both Fine Arts and Commerce. She has held senior management positions at leading Victorian public institutions, Heide Museum of Modern Art and the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), and worked for many years in art research and valuations in galleries and auction houses in Melbourne and London. Since her appointment at MGA Phizacklea has curated group and single artist exhibitions with leading Australian practitioners including Allusion & Illusion: the fantastical world of Valerie Sparks (2018), Robyn Stacey: as still as life (2018), The Tucker portraits (2020) and commissioning exhibitions Portrait of Monash: the ties that bind (2020) and STAGES: photography through the pandemic (2021).
Karen Quinlan AM has been the Director of the National Portrait Gallery since December 2018. Quinlan commenced her curatorial career in 1994 at the National Gallery of Victoria before becoming Curator of the Bendigo Art Gallery in 1996. Quinlan served as the Director of the Bendigo Art Gallery from 2000 until 2018 and was instrumental in working with international cultural institutions, attracting high profile exhibitions to regional Victoria. This initiative enabled Bendigo and the surrounding region to benefit socially, culturally and economically throughout her tenure. Before moving to the ACT, Quinlan was a Professor of Practice and Director of the La Trobe Art Institute La Trobe University; a former Trustee of the State Library of Victoria; and Board Member and former Chair of the Public Galleries Association of Victoria. Quinlan has also previously been a board member of the Victorian Foundation of Living Australian Artists, for the National Gallery of Victoria and the VA Melbourne Fashion Festival. Quinlan was recently invited to be Patron of the Capital Arts Patrons' Organisation based in Canberra.
Important dates
Entries open | Wednesday 12 May “ 5pm (AEST) Wednesday 30 June 2021Finalists announced | Thursday 29 July 2021
Exhibition dates | 9 September “ 7 November 2021