The 2023 Brisbane Portrait Prize results were announced on October 3, and a Redlands local has been named the winner. Dylan Mooney‘s winning artwork Still Thriving features two First Nations men in an embrace described by Chief Judge Suzanne Cotter as one that “speaks of love, closeness, and warmth.”
The subjects in the artwork are Dylan and his friend, Sam, created as a digital illustration with Yuwi ochre and ink.
Dylan, a proud Yuwi, Torres Strait and South Sea Islander man, creates art inspired by his cultural background and works mainly in digital because he’s legally blind.
“Drawing and printmaking can be difficult on my eyes because I can’t focus that much and I get migraines,” Dylan says. “But with technology, I can zoom in as much as I want to really get that detail.”
Dylan’s prize-winning portrait piece, akin to his previous works, immediately captures your attention. A powerful piece that represents identity and love.
This year’s Brisbane Portrait Prize saw over 600 entries and, aside from Mooney’s major win, these are the other category winners:
- Hayden Pressley – Paul Croker: A Timeless Devotee
- Liam Nunan – Packers Prize
- Fiona Lowry – Sylvia Jones Prize for Women Artists
- Robert Mercer – Digital Award
- Zoe Porter – Performing Arts and Music Award
- Guy Lobwein – Metro Arts Experimental Artists Award
- Huon Kane and Elizabeth Reed – Emerging Artists Award
You can see artworks from all the finalists at the Brisbane Prize Portrait Prize Exhibition, on display at Brisbane Powerhouse until October 29.
