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 Australia’s most coveted photography prize and one of the most open prizes for photography in the country. All film-based and digital work from amateurs and professionals is accepted and there is no thematic restriction.
The prize creates an annual snapshot of contemporary photographic practice in Australia and showcases excellence in photography from both emerging to established photographers.
The judging panel, Dr Michael Brand, Director of AGNSW, artist Dr David Rosetzky and Anouska Phizacklea, Director of MGA, made the selection from an incredibly strong field of entrants that reflected the diversity and depth of photographic practice in Australia.
MGA Foundation was delighted that Melbourne-based, Iranian-born artist Hoda Afshar was not only the winner of the $30 000 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize for her photograph ‘Portrait of Behrouz Boochani, Manus Island’ (2018), but was also awarded the Sotheby’s Australia People’s Choice Award. It is recognition that this photograph resonated with audiences across all levels, a powerful image that elicits an intellectual, aesthetic and emotional response.
Shelley Horan, Darren Sylvester and Cyrus Tang were the recipients of the Colour Factory Honourable Mentions.
2018 finalists: Hoda Afshar, Robert Ashton, Sofi Basseghi, Alison Bennett, Devika Bilimoria, Tom Blachford, Aaron Bradbrook, Danica Chappell, Rowan Conroy, Michael Cook, Tamara Dean, Marian Drew, Amos Gebhardt, John Gollings, Linsey Gosper, Lee Grant, Janina Green, Ponch Hawkes, Hego, Petrina Hicks, Shelley Horan, Leah King-Smith, Katrin Koenning, Sandra Lamonaca, Mathew Lynn, Kirsten Lyttle, Isobel Markus-Dunworth, Ben McGee, Joseph McGlennon, Rod McNicol, Jacqueline Mitelman, Nasim Nasr, Polixeni Papapetrou, Matthew Portch, Clare Rae, Julie Rrap, Melissa Spiccia, Nathan Stolz, Natalya Stone, Ian Strange, Darren Sylvester, Samuel Szwarcbord, Cyrus Tang, Di Tang, Natalie Tirant, Justine Varga, James Verdon, Martin Walch, Amanda Williams and Anne Zahalka.
