Established in 2006 to promote excellence in photography, the annual William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize is an initiative of the MGA Foundation. The Bowness Photography Prize has become one of Australia’s most coveted photography prizes.
The exhibition features the shortlisted works for the 2019 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize. This year, 58 pieces have been selected by the judging panel: Director of Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Chris Saines, acclaimed artist Dr Christian Thompson AO, and MGA Director, Anouska Phizacklea.
The selection of Australian artists presents a picture of Australia as a multicultural, quirky, and extraordinary place. The shortlist reveals artists’ continued fascination with exploring and pushing the boundaries of the photographic medium, embracing its capacity to explore a diversity of voices and perspectives.
Rochelle Marie Adam, Riste Andrievski, Jonathan Armstrong, Zia Atahi, Simon Aubor, Sarah Barker, Sofi Basseghi, Greg Bilton, Polly Borland, Anna Carey, Céleste Cebra, Danica Chappell, Peta Clancy, David Collins, Ross Coulter, Emilio Cresciani, Chloe Dann, Gerwyn Davies, Shoufay Derz, Jo Duck, Stephen Dupont, Cherine Fahd, James Farley, George Fetting, Robert Fielding, J Forsyth, Andrea Francolini, Jon Frank, Lee Grant, Mark Harper, Fiona Kemp, Ingvar Kenne, Katrin Koenning, Benjamin Liew, Louis Lim, Ruth Maddison, Koji Makino, Danie Mellor, Anne Moffat, Bill Moseley, Tajette O'Halloran, Sean Paris, Sonia Payes, Clare Rae, Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, Justin Ridler, Simone Rosenbauer, David Rosetzky, Jo Scicluna, Vivian Cooper Smith, Jacqui Stockdale, Nathan Stolz, Angela Tiatia, Lisa Tomasetti, James Tylor, Justine Varga, Lydia Wegner, and Adele Wilkes.
Sydney: Until 16 August 2026. PIX, Australia’s first pictorial news weekly, is brought to life in this exhibition, showcasing its archived images and stories for the very first time.
Melbourne: Until March 2027. Rehearsing the City presents archival photographs from Victoria’s government collections, alongside new work by contemporary street photographers.
Melbourne: 5 March – 7 August 2026. Between the mid-1970s and early 1990s, artist and social documentary photographer Viva Gibb (1945-2017) documented the suburbs of North and West Melbourne, where she lived.
Sydney: Until 7 Feb 2027. From his archive of more than 200,000 images, Close Up celebrates the historic moments and pivotal people he famously captured.
Canberra: Until 6 Sept 2026. Trent Parke’s photographic series The Christmas tree bucket 2006–09 is a tender and darkly humorous portrayal of his extended family coming together to celebrate Christmas.
Melbourne: 6 June – 20 August 2026. Brook Andrew is an artist whose conceptual practice shifts across photography, performance, moving image, installation, public space and research, often through deep collaboration with artists, communities and friends.
Brisbane: until 18 October 2026. Known affectionately as the ‘Cool Cat of journalism’ Wayne moved effortlessly among the greats, between the media and community, treating every encounter as part of his day’s work behind the lens.
Melbourne: 26 June – 2 August. Through analogue photographic processes, Dylan Negri aims to immortalised fragments of life that would otherwise disintegrate.
Sydney: Until 2 August. As the first survey exhibition of Tamara Dean’s career, this collection highlights the evolution of a major voice in Australian photomedia.
