Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize (MCPP) 2024

Photography Review | Brian Rope

Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize (MCPP) 2024 | Various artists

Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre (MRAC) | 17 August – 12 October 2024

It is always difficult to review an exhibition such as this where the artworks are from numerous artists and the only connection is that they have been selected as finalists in a competition. In 2022, a piece in the magazine Inside Imaging, said the grand prize “is an impressive $15,000 cash, making the MCPP a major Australian photo contest.” In this sixth year of the prize, the cash was doubly impressive at $30,000. 

The winner of the $30,000 was Merilyn Fairskye from Newtown in Sydney. Her winning work is Focus Infinity IV (4.41am, 09 May 2024, Maralinga village), 2024 – a Solve-Glaze archival pigment print on photo rag, 100 x 150 cm. It will be acquired and join all previous MCPP winners in MRAC’s permanent collection of post-war contemporary paintings, ceramic and photography.

MERILYN FAIRSKYE - Focus Infinity IV (4.14am 09 May 2024 Maralinga Village) 2024 

Fairskye’s concept statement reads “‘Focus Infinity IV' is part of my ongoing Long Life Project (https://www.longlifeproject.com). My current work looks at Australia and its looming nuclear future. On a recent visit to Maralinga, site of British nuclear tests in the 50s and 60s, I wanted to see what would be revealed if I photographed in complete darkness. My settings were f/1.4, 00:30 exposure, ISO 1600, focus ∞. Mid-exposure, I moved my camera from sky to earth.” The artist’s intentions are quite clear from that statement - and she has succeeded. The mid-exposure camera repositioning was a most effective technique to use.

Let me now comment on just a few of the other finalist works in the exhibition. Hilary Wardhaugh of Canberra is there with her work A Meditation of Death, 2024 – a digital print on archival photo rag paper 81 x 142 cm. It comprises twelve 8x10” digitised lumen prints created by first piercing an extraordinary 2000 tiny holes into black card, then using them as stencils placed over light-sensitive photo paper exposed in sunlight. The same work was also a finalist in the 2024 Canberra Contemporary Photographic Prize.

HILARY WARDHAUGH - A Meditation of Death, 2024

The artist statement tells us that the conceptual foundation of the work draws inspiration from “the Maranasati meditation, a contemplative practice centred on the inevitability of death, encouraging introspection on the consequences of humanity's violence and impermanence.” Wardhaugh is inviting viewers “to contemplate the profound impact of conflict through a poignant marriage of technique and symbolism.”

For the artist, the twelve images together represent the 24,000 people killed as of 3 January 2024. Where? Do you need to ask? Gaza. This work is just one of several excellent pieces created by this artist in recent times in response to very important issues that she feels strongly about. The arts practice page on her website is well worth exploring - https://www.hwp.com.au/arts-practice.

Two other finalists in the 2024 Canberra Contemporary Photographic Prize also made the cut in this MCPP. Orlando Luminere’s work here was a different one, but it was also created with one of his “trashcams” - yes, cameras he makes from trash. Wasted View, 2024 was made using a Camera Obscura digital made from trash, filled with trash.

This artist’s images created with his diverse and marvellous trashcams are always fascinating. The artwork here is a fine example of camera obscura photography.

ORLANDO LUMINERE - Wasted View, 2024

The other artist to feature in both shows with the same artwork is Caleb Arcifa. He uses sound to augment traditional processes with the subject’s energy, resulting in a unique print that is ‘signed’ by the sonic identity. Sonant Autograph #001 (Joini), 2023 uses Joini’s rendition of ‘If I Ain’t Got You’. Unfortunately, we can’t hear the sound, nor see the artifacts from the artist’s sonic experiments that explain the process behind work.

CALEB ARCIFA - Sonant Autograph #001 (Joini), 2023

Then there is a work by Tamara Dean from Kangaroo Valley, which the adjudicators highly commended - Blowin in the wind, 2024. This critically acclaimed Australian photomedia artist’s practice extends across photography, installation and moving image. This piece very cleverly and intelligently addresses the climate change crisis impacting the whole world right now - read the artist statement here.

TAMARA DEAN - Blowin in the Wind, 2024

There are many other interesting artworks in this exhibition, including Rozalind Drummond’s Scenario where photography, sculpture, and performance intersect. And Jacob Raupach’s Various Small Fires I + II, 2024, in which several small UV prints are displayed in sculptural grid-like structures made from Victorian Blackwood. However, you need to look at all the works yourself and read their accompanying artist statements. 

ROZALIND DRUMMOND - Scenario, 2024

JACOB RAUPACH - Various Small Fires I & II, 2024

Not everyone will agree, but I consider this year’s MCPP show to be the best yet overall. All the selected finalists in the exhibition can be seen in a virtual gallery here. However, it would be a much better experience to visit the MRAC and see the finished artworks up close if you possibly can do so.

This review is also available on the author's blog here. A very slightly different version is scheduled to be published in the October 2024 issue of The Printer (an online magazine by the Print Group of the Australian Photographic Society). Once published it will be available for download here.