William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize for 2012 - Finalists announced !

Text courtesy : Monash Gallery of Art web site
 / Official communiqué 

Forty two images by some of Australia’s best photographers are in the running for the $25 000 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize for 2012. Established in 2006 to promote excellence in photography, the prize and exhibition will showcase some of the most outstanding contemporary work produced in Australia over the past 12 months.


The finalist’s works were selected from approximately 2 500 photographs submitted by 495 entrants - the largest ever received in the history of the Bowness Photography Prize. One of these finalists will win the $25 000 first prize. Three finalists will be awarded an Adobe Honourable Mention prize.


This year’s eminent judging panel, Magnum photographer TRENT PARKE, NGV’s Senior Curator Photography ISOBEL CROMBIE, and MGA Gallery Director SHAUNE LAKIN have selected 42 photographs from approximately 2 500 entries – the largest number received in the history of Australia’s most coveted photography prize.
Shaune Lakin, MGA Gallery Director, said on behalf of the judging panel: “With a record number of entries and an extraordinarily high caliber of work, the judging process was very difficult. So we selected more finalists than usual – to reflect the strength of the field. The finalists represent the best in contemporary Australian photography and their photographs will make an amazing exhibition; I am sure choosing a winner in early October will be incredibly difficult.”


The winner of the $25 000 prize will be announced at MGA on Thursday 4 OCTOBER 2012.  One of Australia’s most eminent cultural figures, Penelope Seidler AM, will join the judging panel to choose the winner of the 2012 Bowness Photography Prize.

Robert ASHTON

Daniel BOETKER-SMITH

Kirsten BOWERS

Jane BROWN

Chris BUDGEON

Elaine CAMPANER

Rowan CONROY

Jagath DHEERASEKARA

Stephen DUPONT

Cherine FAHD

Jacqueline FELSTEAD

Siri HAYES

Christopher HOLT

Tim JOHNSON

Francis KEOGH

Bronek KOZKA

Jesse MARLOW

Joseph MCGLENNON

Georgia METAXAS

Michael MILLER

Phuong NGO

Simon OBARZANEK

Gerard O’CONNOR and Marc WASIAK

Polixeni PAPAPETROU

Izabela PLUTA

Clare RAE

Hannah RAISIN

Lynne ROBERTS-GOODWIN

Tobias ROWLES

Julie RRAP

Rodney SCHAFFER

Lani SELIGMAN

Martin SMITH

Valerie SPARKS

David STEPHENSON

Darren SYLVESTER

Claudia TERSTAPPEN

Christian THOMPSON

Stephanie VALENTIN

Justine VARGA

Daniel VON STURMER

William YANG