Congratulations to Robert Fielding, who has won the 2024 Bowness Photography Prize for Sacred earth/Manta Miil miilpa, a delicate and deliberate work of protest made with photosensitive emulsion, cotton paper and acrylic paint.
“This work is old and new. Present but secretive,” says Fielding. “One must look back to move forward, always honouring our land and culture. Presently this world is full of digital images and screens – driven by technology built from resources taken from our land. My process is basic and free of machines and electricity. My process honours the land it is made on; the land it depicts. It is grounded in country; developed on country using the light from our sun. Words of protest and resistance have been scrawled across this rally of works to remind the un-seeing eyes of this world: this is Yankunytjatjara Land and our culture is strong.”
One of Australia’s most esteemed photography prizes, The Bowness Photography Prize centres excellence in Australian photography, providing a snapshot of how the medium is being used in the present.
This year the award was this year judged by artist and academic Dr Peta Clancy, former director of Photographers’ Gallery London Brett Rogers, and Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh) director Anouska Phizacklea, who says, “The winner Robert Fielding is an eminent practitioner of photography and has dedicated his work to honouring Country and Culture. Through his deliberate and thoughtful practice, he brings the ancient, knowing beauty of Country to his image-making, while reminding us that the work of protest and truth-telling never stops.”
The judges also provided honourable mentions to Kirsten Lyttle for Kete whiri awa, Patrick Pound for The waste land, and Axel Garay for Slow way (unfinished business).
The winning work, along with the 73 finalists, are now on display at the Museum of Australian Photography.
Bowness Photography Prize 2024
Museum of Australian Photography
12 September—10 November
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