Reviewed by Catilin Fricot

The 2016 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize exhibition has officially opened their doors for the 2016-17 show to showcase the incredible talent entered into their competition for its 28th year since its conception. I was lucky enough to be invited to the opening night this past Wednesday night and had the privilege of mingling with artists and their families as they proudly show off their work.

Juniper Hall as always is a perfect arena to showcase the exhibition, with the free flowing rooms and multiple stages perfect to host the finalists artworks. The lawn was set out with numerous chairs and tables with roving waiters bring delicious food and beverages to patrons as they moved around the crowd. At 6pm sharp, the doors opened to the exhibition and we were free to observe the finalists and winners for 2016.

The prizes were separated into two different sections, one for photography and one for the portraits. If you desire a look into the photography side of the exhibition, might I suggest you move towards the right of the hall, whereas the portraits dominated the left side.

The paintings and photographs that were picked for this years Moran Prizes had a very Australian theme to them, with a few that I recognised from past Juniper Hall exhibitions, and some very interesting new pieces. Some of the works featured those of Aboriginal background, others were migrants to Australia. Some featured scenes that one would associate with a carnival or show, others showed typically Australian activities, such as a day at the beach. There was also a  scattering of modern technology through the works, so keep an eye out for those pieces.

What I loved about participating in an art exhibition opening is the excitement in the air. It added to the atmosphere for the whole evening. As I wandered around the pieces, I caught glimpses of family members proudly showing off the artists works and taking pictures with guests and the artist themselves. I saw artists admiring each others works and talking about their processes and how they reached their final piece. I met a young school student whose photography made it to the semi-finalist stage of the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize for students, a feat I found to be very admirable in a young person. 

Something can be said of talent in art, for this year the winner of the 2016 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize Megan Seres was an artist of humble background and has reached incredible heights with her auspicious win. Megan Seres is a single mother with an 11 year old daughter named Scarlett, who is the subject of her portrait. Prior to her win, Megan worked as a cleaner to support her and her daughter. After winning $150,000 prize money for her artwork, I imagine Megan and her daughter will have much to look forward to in the future.

I feel like the winner of this years Portrait Prize gives hope to those who aspire to be an artist. It means you can establish a reputation for yourself even if you don’t necessarily come from an artistic background.

The winner of the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize for 2016 was Johannes Reinhart for his interesting piece called Mermaid Show which features Michelle Smith as ‘Tina Tuna’ at Perth’s Fringe World Festival. The photograph features kids that are mesmerised by a mermaid in a tank. Interpret what you will, the composition of the subjects and the colour alone make it a worth recipient of the $50,000 prize money. I have been a fan of Johannes work since his earlier exhibition at Juniper Hall back in May for the Head On Festival.

My personal favourites of the exhibition were Lachlan Starling’s photograph Forces that won the Student prize for years 9-10, Jan Nelson’s Black River Running #1, Brian Cassey’s No. 55, Todd Kennedy’s Figure 8. Lilo, Zoey Mongey Helter Skelter, Edwina Pickles’ Australia Votes and Brad Smith Walking on Water.

The exhibition will be running until February next year so there is plenty of time to get down to Juniper Hall and check out this amazing exhibition and witness for yourself why these artworks were picked for the exhibition.

Who: Moran Portrait & Contemporary Photographic Prize

Where: Juniper Hall Oxford St Paddington

When: Now Showing until February 2017

For more information, check out the Juniper Hall website here.