AN unusual political comment on the relationship between poultry and fast food has won a popular award from the Art Gallery of Ballarat.
I Feel Like Chicken Tonight
The six painted panels show images of free range and caged chickens, juxtapositioned with icons of the fast food industry.
Ms Murray said the artworks were a political comment about the treatment of animals in Australia.
"My love for chickens came from my grandparents' farm, and seeing them produce chickens in a humane way — in comparison to today's era of fast food and mass produced chicken," she said.
"It's a statement against the fast food industry and the way which we treat these social animals in harsh conditions for our own gain."
Visitors to the Next Gen 2012 exhibition were invited to vote for their favourite artwork, with the former Ballarat Clarendon College student presented with a $200 prize from the Ballarat Society of Artists.
Society vice president Trudy Nicholson congratulated Ms Murray on her award and thanked the gallery for its commitment to emerging artists.
"It's a great example of an artist thinking outside the square and using multimedia to make a comment on these important and topical issues," Ms Nicholson said.