Artwork exploring intimacy and relationships wins 2026 National Photography Prize

Paul Knight, an artist from Ettalong Beach in New South Wales, has received the National Photography Prize from the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA).

It is Australia’s longest-running acquisitive photographic award and presents the $40,000 Audray Banfield Award.

Knight’s profitable sequence of labor, titled Chamber Music, paperwork the home life he shares along with his companion, Peter, and the best way relationships are formed each day. 

Knight was one of many 12 finalists for the prize, alongside Alana Hunt, Alex Walker, Amalia Lindo, Arlo Mountford, David Stephenson, JD Reforma, Lisa Stonham, Marian Tubbs, Morgan Hogg, Nathanael Edwards, and Sarah Rhodes. 

Works of the finalists can now be seen within the 2026 National Photography Prize exhibition.

The announcement was made at Saturday’s opening of the occasion, the place Morgan Hogg was additionally awarded the $5,000 Emerging Artist Award for his or her work Silver Tongues, exploring the mythology and storytelling of the Pacific. 

Through a conventional Cook Island dance, Hogg explores the function of the Momokē, the water folks of the underworld, who lure the souls of those that are nearly prepared to maneuver onto the following life.

More than 330 artists entered this yr’s competitors, with a curatorial committee comprising MAMA CEO Blair French, 2024 National Photography Prize recipient Ellen Dahl, and MAMA First Nations Curator Alinta Maguire deciding on the 12 finalists. 

National Gallery of Victoria senior curator of images Natasha Bullock chosen the winner of the National Photography Prize and the Emerging Artist Award.

“The work actually captures the liberty with which artists are working at present,” Ms Bullock said. “Photography may be intimate, it may be extremely conceptual or technically experimental and it will probably embrace all the above. What’s thrilling is the best way these finalists are bringing all of those potentialities collectively, and discovering new methods to make us look and see.”

Mr French said this year’s finalists were from Far North Queensland, Tasmania, regional NSW, Sydney and Melbourne and had varied levels of experience, from early career to “40-plus years” within the trade.

“The work is various and covers many themes and ideas, together with household historical past, intimate tales, reminiscences, setting, cultural id, and connections to put,” mentioned Mr French.

Mr French said the biennial competition is unique, as it looks at a collection of the artist’s work, created in the past two years, rather than just one piece.

“You have a variety of works by an artist that offer you pause to think about and that is fairly uncommon in artwork prizes,” he mentioned.

The powerhouse behind the prize

The National Photography Prize was first held by MAMA, then known as the Albury Regional Art Gallery, in 1983.

The thought got here from the inaugural director of the gallery, the late Audray Banfield.

Over the years, Ms Banfield helped to build the museum’s growing collection of contemporary photography, which today includes more than 600 works, including important pieces by Tracey Moffatt, Max Dupain, Richard Woldendorp and Phillip Quirk.

Mr French said Ms Banfield’s name has officially been attached to the $40,000 award this year. 

“The gallery was based and opened in 1981, and that is when Audray determined to make images a spotlight of the gallery, with an intention to construct on a set of nationwide significance,” he mentioned.

“When Audray handed away in 2024, we discovered it was applicable to honour her inside the museum and inside the images group.”

The $40,000 is funded by the MAMA Art Foundation, which is an entity separate to the museum and centered on fundraising and advocating for the museum and its assortment.

This year the award for the National Photography Prize was increased from $30,000 to $40,000.

“When we sat down with the inspiration and talked about naming the primary award after Audray, we additionally requested them to consider lifting the prize quantity,” Mr French mentioned.

“It has sat at $30,000 for some time and the best way the world is, to place somewhat bit extra money into artists pockets is a crucial a part of what we try to do.”

The National Photography Prize exhibition is at MAMA till November 22.