Fiona O'Byrne wins Lester portrait prize for Luci, now
The Melbourne artist receives A$50,000, while Perth honours student Yasamin Khadembashi wins the A$10,000 emerging artist award.
Melbourne artist Fiona O'Byrne has received the Richard Lester Prize for Portraiture, worth A$50,000, with Luci, now. Painted in oils on linen, the portrait features her daughter, aged 20, seated on a stool.
The judging panel — Alan Dodge, John McDonald and Bryony Nainby — commended the portrait's gentle quality and the closeness it suggested between O'Byrne and her subject. Their assessment also noted her handling of light, along with details in the clothing and nail varnish.
O'Byrne started painting at 36. For the past 10 years, she has balanced her art practice with landscape architecture, and her children have been subjects for more than a decade. She said the award would give her freedom to develop ideas without pressure to sell her paintings.
The Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize, worth A$10,000, went to Perth artist and honours student Yasamin Khadembashi. Her work Immoral Warrior is a reimagined self-portrait measuring two metres in length. She described it as honouring Iranian women and expressing queer Iranian joy and pride. Judges praised her adventurous choices of materials, among them metal leaf, rhinestones and synthetic eyelash extensions.
More than 1,100 works were submitted to the Lester Prize, setting a record for entries. The competition offers A$140,000 across its prizes. Visitors can view the 40 works selected as finalists at WA Museum Boola Bardip in Perth until 29 November.