2019 Bowness Photography Prize

The Bowness Photography Prize, in conjunction with the MGA Foundation, has been recognising visionary contemporary Australian photographers since 2006.

This year, entries from some 700 photographers have been whittled down to a shortlist of just 58, now on display at the Monash Gallery of Art. The main cash prize is a solid $30,000, and the Sotheby's Australia People's Choice Award, introduced last year, is worth $5000.

The exhibited works explore themes around belonging, immigration, family, constructed realities, Indigenous issues and LGBTQIA+ communities. The prize has no limit on size, format or genre, and a number of pieces include sculptural or artistic elements within the frame.

Previous winners include Polixeni Papapetrou and Petrina Hicks, whose often warped and surreal portraits are currently being shown side by side at the NGV.

The free MGA exhibition runs until November 17, with prize winners announced at an event on October 10. The winners announcement is also a free event, but you'll have to register here to attend.