Bowness Photography Prize - finalists revealed
Finalists for the 2015 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize $25,000 non-acquisitive first prize were recently announced.The annual prize was established in 2006 to promote excellence in photography. The non-acquisitive William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize is an initiative of the MGA Foundation.
A total of 47 finalists were selected from the 2,660 works submitted by the 696 entrants – a 35% increase from last year. Judges included Bill Henson, Karen Quinlan and MGA Senior Curator, Stephen Zagala. The panel selected the shortlist of 47 works to be exhibited, and will convene again when the exhibition has been installed to choose a winner, which is announced on Thursday, 1 October. “It’s important that the judges assess tangible photographic prints as they are presented in a gallery space, rather than images on a screen,” says Zagala.
Stephen Zagala, MGA Senior Curator said on behalf of the judges: “The sorting process provides a remarkable opportunity to engage with contemporary photography from across Australia, and the exhibition will allow audiences to see exactly what is happening at the frontiers of photographic practice.”
Bill Henson said of the selection process: “In the end, it really just comes down to how compelling I find a work to be. Matters of subject, issue or agenda have to find a form which is their equal for without that we're left with something that simply holds no interest for us.”
Anne Algar, Brook Andrew, Robert Ashton, Svetlana Bailey, Del Kathryn Barton, Clare Bedford, David Bibby, Devika Bilimoria, Frederico Câmara, Peter Campbell, Danica Chappell, Che Chorley, Peta Clancy, Virginia Cummins, Rebecca Dagnall, Cherine Fahd, David Flanagan, Murray Fredericks, Silvi Glattauer, Wayne Grivell, Molly Harris, Kern Hendricks, Lyndal Irons, Mark Kimber, Courtney Krawec, Michael Krzanich, Cathy Laudenbach, Jon Lewis, David Manley, AHC McDonald, Joseph McGlennon, Rod McNicol, Bill Moseley, Ward Roberts, Daniel Shipp, Valerie Sparks, Rodney Stewart, Rebekah Stuart, Ian Tippett, Justine Varga, John Watson, Kim Westcott, Peter Whyte, Amanda Williams, Rudi Williams, Melissa Williams-Brown and Carolyn Young.
To see work from all the finalists, click here.
