Over the last 16 years, the 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. In 2005 the MGA Foundation was established with the aim of supporting MGA and its significant collection, as well as its unique commitment to photographic art and in 2006 initiated the inaugural William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize to promote excellence in photography and support contemporary artists working in the medium. Coldrey’s artwork Stabbing (2021) has been selected as a finalist in the exhibition.

Tue-Fri 10-5 | Sat-Sun 10-4 | Closed public holidays

Acclaimed artist Rosemary Laing and Director of Agency and Senior Curator, Museums and Collections at University of Melbourne Hannah Presley joined Director Anouska Phizacklea to narrow down to a shortlist of 54 exceptional works to be exhibited as part of the 2022 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize.

The shortlist, selected from 1,334 images, includes an exemplary line-up of contemporary Australian artists and traverse a range of landscape, architectural and portrait photographs. The works created over the last twelve months display a diverse snapshot of contemporary photographic practice in Australia today.

‘The Bowness Photography Prize is the anchor to our annual programming and this year’s shortlist captures the depth and breadth of photographic practice in Australia made in the depth of the pandemic. What was surprising is that only a few works directly addressed the impact of COVID on society, with artists tending to return their focus to areas that interest them and yet its tendrils winds its way into their making, sometimes transforming their practice into something quite astounding.’

— Anouska Phizlackea, Director of Monash Gallery of Art