The finalists for the tenth and final Martin Kantor Portrait Prize have been announced, featuring stunning photographic portraits of some of Australia's most culturally significant figures. All finalist works will be exhibited as part of the 2025 Ballarat International Foto Biennale, celebrating the rich tapestry of Australian talent across various fields.
Among the notable subjects captured in this year's collection is Khaled Sabsabi, a multi-disciplinary Lebanese-Australian artist whose portrait titled 'Prophecy' was photographed by Bec Lorrimer. Sabsabi made headlines when he was initially dropped as Australia's representative to the 2026 Venice Biennale due to political pressure. However, following an independent external review and widespread public outcry about artistic censorship, Creative Australia ultimately reinstated both Sabsabi and his curator, Michael Dagostino.
David Rosetzky presents a compelling black and white photograph of artist Hoda Afshar, whose acclaimed work has significantly shaped contemporary visual culture in Australia. Shot on analog film to resist digital immediacy, the double exposure creates a layered visual language that reflects identity as shifting, contingent, and multiple.
Petrina Hicks captures renowned bioethicist Peter Singer AC, best known for his groundbreaking work in bioethics and his role as one of the intellectual founders of the modern animal rights movement. Inspired by 'The Tears of Saint Peter' by Juan Bautista Maino, this portrait depicts human and non-human subjects at equal height, reflecting Singer's philosophical commitments.
Ian Kemp's portrait features Yual Reath, a Ballarat athlete whose story transcends sport. At 24, he represented Australia at the Paris Olympic Games and continues to compete at the highest level. His journey from a hopeful immigrant boy to an elite athlete embodies the relentless pursuit of dreams and serves as an inspiration to many.
Bronwyn Kidd presents an artistic interpretation of photographer Polly Borland, known for her unforgettable portraits of figures including Queen Elizabeth II, Nick Cave, and Cate Blanchett. The image shows Polly costumed as a silhouette beneath a flying cape, conjuring the super-heroic, the oracle, and the trickster – all aspects of herself. As Kidd explains, 'This portrait is not a mirror, it is a myth unfolding.'
Suzanne Phoenix captured John Gollings, an acclaimed Australian architectural photographer, in his final days in his studio building. The portrait was created in front of a photograph of his hand taken by his son Gus, adding a deeply personal touch to the professional legacy.
Mia McDonald's portrait of pop star Troye Sivan reveals an intimate moment despite the surrounding chaos. McDonald recalls watching Sivan's music videos with her six-year-old daughter Sidney the night before the shoot, with Sidney adoring the theatricality. The chosen setup, comprised of just McDonald and her assistant Arnaud, gave space for intimacy while outside, a line of about 150 people waited to catch a glimpse of the star.
Matthew Newton presents 'The Giants,' featuring environmentalist, doctor, and former politician Bob Brown standing on the stump of a giant eucalyptus regnant in the southern forests of Lutruwita, Tasmania. Brown has been fighting for the end of native forest logging in Australia for many years and continues this advocacy even in his 80s.
Joy Mei En Lei's work 'Anne Zahalka Returns to Bondi' captures one of Australia's most highly regarded photo-media artists, whose career spans 40 years. Zahalka's practice deconstructs familiar scenes, re-presenting them to allow alternative narratives that reflect on cultural diversity and the climate crisis. Lei's portraits reflect a direct connection with her subjects – intimate, engaged, and affirming their accomplished creative careers.
Adam Ferguson photographed acclaimed author Tim Winton on Gadigal Land in Sydney. Winton is one of Australia's most revered literary voices, whose works including 'Cloudstreet,' 'Dirt Music,' 'Breath,' and his latest novel 'Juice' have profoundly shaped the nation's cultural and artistic identity. Winton stands as a pillar of contemporary Australian storytelling – introspective, unpretentious, and deeply attuned to place.
TW Baker captures 'Cooee in Kirli's Backyard,' featuring poet and multidisciplinary artist Kirli Saunders (OAM), the 2020 NSW Aboriginal woman of the year, alongside musician and illustrator Mark Chester Harding. Together they form Cooee, a project that brings together Kirli's poetry and Mark's music, with both artists also producing visual works under the Cooee name.
Simon Dow's portrait shows Callum Linnane, a principal artist with the Australian Ballet who was born and grew up in Ballarat. Callum entered the Australian Ballet School at a young age and has gone on to dance many leading roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire. He recently premiered the role of Oscar Wilde in a newly created work, 'Oscar,' by lauded choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. Dow notes that their portrait session was 'a beautiful opportunity to share past, present moment and future dreams.'
Dane Beesley captures writer Benjamin Law in a moment of precarious equilibrium, seemingly on the verge of toppling yet utterly balanced and confident. The image serves as a visual metaphor for Law's multifaceted career and public persona, as his work frequently pushes boundaries, challenging conventional thinking and inviting audiences to consider perspectives they might not have otherwise encountered.
Tajette O'Halloran was commissioned to photograph musician Missy Higgins for her album campaign 'The Second Act.' O'Halloran explains that 'the intention was less about creating traditional portraits and more about documenting a moment of transformation. It was an opportunity to capture a woman in the midst of an unraveling, quietly sitting with the weight of her own evolution.'
Forough Yavari presents a powerful self-portrait titled 'Bleeding Inside,' captured in motion-blur and overlaid with childhood memories, printed onto LD45 foam and hand-sculpted to echo emotional distortion and displacement. Red threads spill from severed hands, symbolizing a quiet unraveling and being handcuffed by grief and the inability to stop what has been lost or is still to come. Yavari explains that this work reflects the lasting impact of migrating from Iran to Australia, losing family and friends, and the slow disconnection from her origins.
Thérèse Maher photographed Tim Rogers, frontman of iconic rock band You Am I. Beyond music, he has contributed to Australian arts as an author, playwright, and actor, enriching the country's creative landscape. Maher's hope with this shoot was to create a bold and unpolished portrait, inspired by You Am I's early grunge aesthetic.
Alan Mitchell's portrait 'Ken, fifty years a wordsmith' features Ken Seaton, a poet who has written and published a mountain of work and organized more than 2,000 poetry events in Melbourne. Mitchell first saw Ken in a late-night folk and poetry venue in Melbourne in the late 70s, noting that 'he did not recite his words, he performed them.' This portrait represents Mitchell's visual attempt to capture Ken's longevity and lifetime passionate dedication to words.
Rod McNicol presents a portrait of renowned Indigenous activist, writer, actor, and academic Professor Gary Foley. McNicol, a long-term friend, created this portrait in the post-referendum period following the Indigenous voice referendum. The image reflects something of the gravitas that underlay their reaction to the emphatically negative response that the voice referendum received.
Naomi Herzog captures Melbourne-based artist and lecturer Harry Nankin, having long been an admirer of his work. During their meeting, Nankin talked about various ideas he was working on, giving Herzog a glimpse into some of the work in his studio. Using one of his images as a backdrop, she worked with the strong lines of Harry's profile to capture this portrait.
Finally, Kellie Leczinska photographs Merryn Schriever, Director of Bonhams Australia, titled 'Rare Birds.' Schriever is the only female director of a fine art auction house in Australia. Her extensive knowledge of Australian contemporary art and strong relationships with artists and collectors helped her break the glass ceiling in a male-dominated auction world. Leczinska photographed Merryn with a rare collection of ceramic Wally Birds which had surfaced in Australia in the 1870s.
This final iteration of the Martin Kantor Portrait Prize represents a remarkable celebration of Australian cultural figures across diverse fields, from the arts and literature to sports and activism, showcasing the nation's rich cultural landscape through the lens of talented photographers.
