Photography student Elli Bardas has won the inaugural Martin Kantor Portrait Prize with a black and white portrait of her aunt that she took as part of a second-year school assignment.
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The stunning portrait of Vicki Vidor won the $15,000 cash prize, beating out more than 150 other entries and 27 other finalists in the acquisitive award.
“What a great start to establishing a portraiture collection of significant Australians in Ballarat,” said Ballarat International Foto Biennale director Fiona Sweet.
The subjects of the eye-catching portraits, which are now on display in Ballarat Town Hall, had to be a significant, living Australian in the field of arts, letters, science, sports or politics.
Ms Vidor OAM has been a board member of the Lighthouse Foundation, which supports homeless young people, for more than 20 years and is patron of the foundation’s Vicki Vidor Home for Young Mothers and Babies.
“I actually took the photo as part of an assignment, and when the opportunity came up to enter it I had nothing to lose,” Ms Bardas said.
”Vicki … is an impressive and inspiring leader within the family as well as the community.”
The winning photograph was among Ms Bardas’ first set of serious portraits when shooting in black and white was also new to her.
“I have realised through doing this course that art photography is what I’m interested in,” said the mother of two after she was announced as the prize’s first recipient.
Judge Naomi Cass said the job of choosing a winner was tough for the experienced panel .
“This portrait stands within a tradition of black and white portraiture, maybe reminiscent of 1960s, and as the sitter leans toward us we are invited in. The subject is a mature and beautiful woman and we can see in this open face something of an inner light, perhaps life well lived, and her hands are active hands that have lived and worked,” Ms Cass said.
The final portraits featured a cast of well-known faces including SBS presenter Lee Lin Chin, actor Bryan Brown, performer Barry Humphries, musicians Tim Rogers, Nick Cave and Paul Kelly, and entertainer and comedian Wil Anderson.
The award was named in the memory of late photographer and philanthropist Martin Kantor, whose son Heath spoke at the ceremony on behalf of the family.
“Photographs and portraits are a perspective that last forever and really capture something about how we live. Things do change and my dad managed to move from documenting time and place to facilitate what we are all here for, to appreciate these beautiful portraits,” he said.
