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.
Canberra: 27 Feb until 20 July 2025. The National Library has invited renowned Australian photojournalist Mike Bowers to select some of his favourite images from the Fairfax Photo Archive.
Brisbane: Until 13 July 2025. Amateur Brisbane photographer Alfred Henrie Elliott (1870-1954) extraordinary images lay dormant for decades until they were discovered only recently. This exhibition is curated by seven Brisbane photographers.
Sydney: Until 31 Dec 2025. 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.
Sydney: 15 May – 19 October. Showcasing 100 incredible images, this remarkable exhibition offers a window into the astonishing variety of life on our planet – and the critical importance of preserving it.
Perth: From 31 May – 28 Sept 2025. Featuring 85 works from three major series – Deep Springs, Overpass, and Cross Country – the exhibition spans twelve years of Contis’s evolving photographic practice.
Sydney: Until 6 July. Presenting the results of the 2025 World Press Photo Contest, the annual exhibition showcases the best and most important photojournalism and documentary photography of the last year.
Melbourne: June 5 - 16 August 2025. The explore the history of Alan Adler's photobooths and their cultural significance, alongside visual stories told by the community.
Adelaide: 7 June – 16 August. Drawn from the National Portrait Gallery collection, this photographic exhibition captures the experience of lives lived through dance.
Melbourne: 7 June – 31 August. Protest is a Creative Act seeks to address issues around the body, sexuality, race, national identity and the environment.
Canberra; June 19 - July 12 2025. The River Report is a five-day map of when a normal Yitilal (wet season) turned into a major disaster and the local inhabitants were once again displaced.
