Portrait of domestic life wins $40,000 photography prize
New South Wales artist Paul Knight has won $40,000 as part of the 2026 National Photography Prize, for his work exploring his relationship with his partner.
Ettalong Beach-based artist Paul Knight has claimed Australia's longest-running photography prize, the National Photography Prize, with his Chamber Music series. The award-winning piece delves into his partnership with his partner. Knight was among the 12 finalists for the prestigious $40,000 Audray Banfield Award, presented by the Murray Art Museum Albury.
This biennial competition, initially launched in 1983 by the gallery's late founder, Audray Banfield, showcases a collection of an artist's work created in the past two years, rather than just a single piece. The artwork of the finalists is now on display at the 2026 National Photography Prize exhibition, which opens this Saturday.
Organizers selected the 12 finalists from over 330 artists who entered this year's competition. The National Photography Prize's winner and the Emerging Artist Award were chosen by a panel including MAMA CEO Blair French, 2024 National Photography Prize recipient Ellen Dahl, and MAMA First Nations Curator Alinta Maguire. National Gallery of Victoria senior curator of photography Natasha Bullock selected the prize winner and the Emerging Artist Award.
Bullock noted that the winning work exemplifies the freedom with which contemporary artists work today, blending intimacy, conceptualism, and technical experimentation. MAMA CEO Blair French mentioned that this year's finalists represented diverse backgrounds, ranging from early career artists to those with 40+ years of experience, and addressed themes such as family history, intimate stories, memories, environment, cultural identity, and connections to place.
The biennial competition's uniqueness lies in its focus on evaluating an artist's body of work over two years, a rare approach in art prizes. Audray Banfield, for whom the $40,000 award is named, played a crucial role in building the museum's contemporary photography collection, which now comprises over 600 works by notable artists like Tracey Moffatt, Max Dupain, Richard Woldendorp, and Phillip Quirk. The National Photography Prize exhibition remains open at MAMA until November 22.
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