Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize 2011

[ChrisN]

I hope it's ok to share an email I just received:


"2011 MORAN CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHIC PRIZE

$90,000 PRIZE MONEY

The Moran Arts Foundation invites photographers to submit photographic works in competition for the 2011 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize - Australia's richest photographic prize.

The judge for the 2011 competition is Australian Photographer, Samantha Everton. Her work has been selected as a finalists in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize exhibitions.

2011 Competition Dates

Entries are now open for the 2011 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, entrants are asked to interpret the theme “Contemporary Life in Australia” with an emphasis of Australians going about their day-to-day lives within their environment.

The prize promotes contemporary photography and excellence in photo-based work, including all types of analogue and digital photography. Images can be either colour or black and white with no resitrictions on medium.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO ENTER ONLINE GO TO

WWW.MORANPRIZES.COM.AU"


$90k prize money!

The 2010 Moran Prize for Contemporary Photography was taken out by Dean Sewell for his photo titled "Cockatoo Island Ferry".

Looking at that, there's got to be a few Aussies around here that could have a fair crack at it. What do you reckon, Keith? 😀

 

[Leigh Youdale]

I was somewhat perplexed at last year's winner. It's not a bad photograph but could easily have been taken by any morning ferry commuter with a camera. I can't see what's so special about it as to make it worth a $90k prize. Were all the other entries just crap?
If that's the standard then I'm thinking there are a lot of Aussie photographers who wouldn't be interested - even with the bait of $90k.
And it seems a little odd that there's just a single judge for a prize of such magnitude. As it's a private bequest and administered by a Trust I suppose they can do what they like though.

 

[ChrisN]

"but could easily have been taken by any morning ferry commuter with a camera"

Maybe that's exactly what makes it a winner in a contemporary photography competition? Perhaps the judge(s) anticipate the direction that contemporary photography is heading, with pervasive digital imaging killing off commercial photography, leaving vernacular photography and experimenting "artists" to fill the field.

Oh, and I think the prize was only $80k last year - they've adjusted for inflation!

The single judge is itself interesting, especially when you look at her work. But as you note, it's not a "people's choice" competition, and the selected winner is bound to be controversial.

A friend of mine made it into the semi-finalists last year, with a powerful portrait of a woman who had lost one breast to cancer.