They used delicate brushstrokes and bold use of colour, but the works in the latest show at the National Portrait Gallery aren't by trained artists.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
They're by kids, and they're astonishing.
Gallery walls are usually the domain of adults, but the Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize turns this on its head, with finalists ranging from kindergarten to year 12.
"Young artists are asked to create a portrait of a person or people who they think express something about Australian identity," said curator Emma Kindred.
Artists can choose any medium, and are encouraged to experiment and "make brave choices with colour, textures and composition".
Gallery judges Mark Mohell and Marina Neilson, with guest judge children's book author Jeannie Baker, set a tough 2024 theme of "My Story".
There was a wide gamut of responses, ranging from a love of the Australian landscape, personal stories of anxiety, being neurodiverse and the pressures of being a young person.
"We saw intimate portraits of mothers and fathers, siblings and best friends, and bold self-portraits that positioned the artists in their world," Ms Kindred said.
"In delicate pencil drawings some of our entrants demonstrated an incredible ability to capture the quietness of a moment, or the joy of friendship."
Other entries were "vibrant, sometimes whimsical, and really engaging" with a dynamic use of colour with paint, stickers, crayons and pens.
Ms Kindred said the prize aimed to encourage young visitors to tell their stories through art, "whether it be in rough pencil sketches or delicate watercolours, in quick snaps captured on a mobile phone or in chalk hastily scribbled on a sidewalk".
Ms Kindred said the works that most caught the judges' eyes were those with emotions and feelings on the surface, compelling the viewer to learn more.
"They noted how capable young people are of expressing themselves and their world," Ms Kindred.
"Our entrants were so truthful and genuine, deeply thoughtful and considered."
This year, there were more than 550 entries, the most the prize has ever received, with 12 finalists to be on show.
The exhibition gives young visitors the opportunity to see stories and feelings, portrayed by artists their own age, displayed on the walls of a major institution.
"The opportunity to see the world through the eyes of young artists is such a privilege," Ms Kindred said.
"How you tell your story or how you make art is no less important because you are young."
- The Little Darling Portrait Prize opens at the National Portrait Gallery on May 25.
