Starr wins major art prize

PHOTOGRAPHER Lauren Starr has won the national Bluethumb Art Prize.

Inspired by Greek mythology, her image Midas’ Daughter II took the blue-ribbon award worth $150,000.

Starr has a gallery and studio in Bendigo and said the winning photo featuring her daughter Josephine was challenging to capture.

“Rather than layer photographs together as I often do, I wanted this to be a single image,” she said.

“Every piece of the background I’ve spray painted and our lovely Midas’ daughter has been covered in body paint. I stood on a ladder to photograph her lying on the golden foliage.”

Also winning the photography category of the Bluethumb Art Prize, she has received an additional $10,000. The recognition is “life changing” for Starr who said she has a goal to become a full-time creative.

“When I won the $10,000 prize for photography, I knew exactly what I wanted to do; replace my 10-year-old camera and computer. Now our family has so many more options,” she said.

For prize judge Tamara Dean, the fairy tale feel of Starr’s photo was strong.

“[It reminds] the viewer of the true sense of what can be lost in the pursuit of possessions,” she said.

“It takes us into a different world, a world steeped in symbolism. This photograph is beautifully staged and executed down to the finest details.”

People’s choice voting is still open until Friday, 9 November at bit.ly/3sOXbG2. Another $10,000 cash prize will be awarded to the work voted the most popular by public art-lovers.