Artist Fiona O'Byrne Wins Prestigious Portraiture Prize

Melbourne-based artist Fiona O'Byrne has taken out the top prize at the prestigious Richard Lester Prize for Portraiture, with her stunning oil-on-linen painting of her 20-year-old daughter.

A Masterful Portrait

O'Byrne's winning work, titled Luci, now, depicts her daughter sitting on a stool with a neutral expression on her face. The painting was praised by judges for its softness and tenderness, conveyed through an "unlaboured handling of paint".

"Sitting together, you really see time move, and you see how the relationship changes," O'Byrne wrote about the piece. "It's an opportunity for me to stop and spend time observing her in this moment of her life. Painting her was just a way of holding onto that fierce, generous heart."

Awards and Recognition

The Lester Prize, one of Australia's most lucrative portraiture prizes, received over 1,100 submissions this year, a record number. The prize has a total prize pool of $140,000, with O'Byrne taking home $50,000 for her win.

Perth-based artist Yasamin Khadembashi won the $10,000 Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize for her two-metre long re-imagined self portrait Immoral Warrior. The judges commended Khadembashi's bold and adventurous use of materials, including rhinestones, synthetic eyelash extensions and metal leaf.

"The artist did not play it safe, but their bravery paid off," the judges said.

Exhibition Details

The exhibition of the 40 finalist pieces is on display at Perth's WA Museum Boola Bardip until November 29.

Founding partner of The Lester Prize, Russell Lester, said the record number of submissions reflected the impact the prize had on the arts community. "Our ongoing stewardship of Australian talent and creativity is of utmost importance," Mr Lester said.