Join us for the final Guest Club event of the year, a virtual tour of the 2020 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize at the Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne.
Our tour will be led by Gallery Director Anouska Phizacklea, together with 2020 Finalist, Dr Christian Thompson AO.
Over the last 15 years, the Bowness Photography Prize has emerged as an important annual survey of contemporary photographic practice in Australia and one of the most prestigious prizes in the country. The prize continues to showcase excellence in photography.
RSVP by Wednesday 11 November to receive a complimentary vintage wine bottle from our event partner Mac Forbes delivered to your door. Please note that deliveries are available Australia-wide only.
This event is for Guest Club members only and their guests. Not a Guest Club member? Join here to receive our quarterly benefits, and register to attend this event.
DR CHRISTIAN THOMPSON AO
Dr Christian Thompson AO, 2020 Bowness Photography Prize finalist, is an Australian born contemporary artist whose work explores notions of identity, cultural hybridity and history. Formally trained as a sculptor, Thompson’s multidisciplinary practice engages mediums such as photography, video, sculpture, performance and sound. His work focuses on the exploration of identity, sexuality, gender, race and memory. In his live performances and conceptual portraits he inhabits a range of personas achieved through handcrafted costumes and carefully orchestrated poses and backdrops.
In 2010 Thompson made history when he became the first Aboriginal Australian to be admitted into the University of Oxford in its 900-year history. He is currently a research affiliate at the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford.
Thompson holds a Doctorate of Philosophy (Fine Art), Trinity College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Master of Theatre, Amsterdam School of Arts, Das Arts, The Netherlands; Masters of Fine Art (Sculpture), RMIT University and Honours (Sculpture), RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia and a Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. His works are held in major international and national collections.
In 2018 he was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the visual arts as a sculptor, photographer, video and performance artist, and as a role model for young Indigenous artists. In 2019 Thompson was a judge for the Bowness Photography Prize.
ABOUT MAC FORBES
Mac Forbes is a Victorian winery based in Healesville, committed to seeking out sites that they deem to be strong and unusual.
Mac first donned overalls in the South West of France at the tender age of eighteen. That summer was the catalyst for a now 20 year long career which has seen Mac work with some of the most respected names in the business, both in Australia and overseas.
Mac’s early experiences covered the gamut of winemaking, teaching and marketing. From educating European distributors on Australian wines to consulting to Austrian winemakers, Mac developed a strong understanding of the international wine market and old fashioned winemaking.
Returning to Australia in 2004, Mac kicked off his own project determined to further his own understanding of Australian soils and climate. Now firmly entrenched in the Yarra with 6 vineyard sites and a range of old and younger vineyards, Mac sees the future as an exciting period where much of the Yarra nuances will be revealed with greater clarity.
Image credit: Christian Thompson, Rule of three, 2020, chromogenic prints, 250 x 250 cm. Courtesy of the artist, Sarah Scout Presents (Melbourne) and Michael Reid (Sydney + Berlin).
