Emerging First Nations Artist Wins $10,000 MA Art Prize at Sydney Contemporary

Sydney Contemporary, in collaboration with Principal Partner MA Financial Group, has awarded the $10,000 MA Art Prize to emerging First Nations artist Alfred Lowe. The acquisitive prize aims to support and celebrate early career artists in Australia.

Lowe, an Arrernte person from Snake Well in the Central Desert north of Alice Springs, now resides and works in Adelaide at APY Studio. His winning piece, “All dressed up I” (2024), is a large-scale vessel crafted from hand-built stoneware with sgraffito and raffia. The artist typically works with clay and ceramics, exploring themes of Country through organic forms and textures inspired by his deep connection to the central desert landscape.

“I am thrilled to be the recipient of the 2024 MA Art Prize,” Lowe said. “Sydney Contemporary gathers the country’s best artists and galleries, so to be recognized here is very special. ‘All dressed up I’ is a joyful celebration of love, defiance, and self-presentation. The work holds space unapologetically and dares you to try to ignore it.”

Lowe’s art is influenced by his upbringing in Central Australia, which has fueled his interest in politics, racial justice, and the navigation of culture and identity in modern times.

The judging panel for the MA Art Prize included representatives from MA Financial Group, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), and Cato & Clive. Andrew Martin, head of Asset Management at MA Financial and a panel member, praised Lowe’s work for its bold use of colour, form, and texture.