For Melbourne/Naarm-based artist and filmmaker Lilah Benetti, winning the Wyndham Art Prize was about more than the $15,000 prize money – it was an affirmation of their artistic practice at a pivotal moment.
Now, five years later, they’re returning to the prize as a judge, ready to encourage the next generation of entrants.
‘It feels like a really nice full circle moment,’ says Benetti, a transdisciplinary artist whose practice explores intersectional storytelling, political memory and embodied experience.
‘I’m really excited to see what people submit.’
Wyndham Art Prize – quick links
An affirmation of artistic practice
Benetti won the 2022 Wyndham Art Prize with More Like a River, a photographic still from a moving-image work the artist developed in response to the global Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, reflecting on ‘the difficulty of holding onto softness amid upheaval’.
Featuring South Sudanese-Australian rapper Pookie with cinematography by Sam Biddle, Benetti says the work reflects themes of personal change, grief, growth and self-determination.
In the image, a woman (Pookie) is facing away from the viewer, looking out towards the ocean. For Benetti, the image’s sense of expansiveness is intertwined with themes of ancestry, connection and refusal. Water is a recurring motif in their practice, representing both the histories that separate people and the possibility of bringing them together.
The Wyndham win was their first major prize, arriving as Melbourne emerged from lockdowns and artists began creating together again.
‘I think there’s something so special about winning a prize. It’s so different from selling a piece of work,’ says Benetti.
‘No matter the amount, winning a prize is like, “Here, this is a thing that you deserve just for making your art”.’
Beyond the financial support, the recognition encouraged them to continue sharing their work. Since then, they have undertaken residencies and presented work internationally, from the UK to the US, Africa, Asia and Europe.
A prize that makes room for difference
For Benetti, one of the Wyndham Art Prize’s greatest strengths is its openness to different artistic approaches and mediums.
They recall the entry process as straightforward, appreciating that artists could submit work without feeling they needed to conform to a particular aesthetic.
‘Whatever your art is, [you can] bring it to this platform,’ they say.
‘Wyndham really holds a special place in my heart. It allows you to feel like your voice matters. They do some really incredible community work.’
The prize is run by Wyndham Art Gallery in Werribee, Victoria. With no set theme, it welcomes works across disciplines including painting, sculpture, photography, video, works on paper, ceramics, glass and digital media.
Benetti also values the Wyndham Prize’s commitment to creating space for First Nations and migrant artists, and for conversations that allow artists to move beyond expectations about how they should represent their identities.
As a curatorial-led prize exhibition, the Wyndham Art Prize considers works on their merits and how they come together in a cohesive exhibition, rather than relying on an artist’s reputation alone.
Take the creative risk
Returning as a judge, Benetti is looking forward to seeing artists push themselves – whether that means experimenting with a medium, challenging an aesthetic, or trying something entirely new.
They hope prospective entrants will resist the temptation to second-guess themselves.
‘If you are somebody who is making work and not sure what the next step is, and maybe a little bit nervous to show your work to the world, I encourage you to be brave and to do it,’ says Benetti.
Their advice is simple: ‘If you hit that submit button, you’re already a winner.’
