Naomi Hobson has been selected as a finalist in the 2025 Bowness Photography Prize for her outstanding work Sir Willy, a warrior without a weapon.
Adorning a beard with flowers is an acknowledgement of an ancestral being from central Cape York Peninsula. Flowers local to the Coen area are carefully positioned in the men’s facial hair, and on their bodies, acknowledging ancient practice and representing a vulnerability and softness rarely acknowledged by mainstream Australia.
This series questions prejudice in this country. It is correcting the misleading portrayals of Indigenous people, particularly men, in Australian society and demonstrating cultural pride and positive self-esteem. — Naomi Hobson, Artist Statement 2025
Presented by the Museum of Australian Photography, the prize invites entries from artists working within the medium. Entries for the Bowness Photography Prize are considered from still photo-based media including analogue and digital photography, produced within the last year.
The exhibition of finalists was held at the Museum of Australian Photography from 13 September – 9 November 2025.
