Through the Artists’ Eyes

In 2006, the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture was born from humble beginnings in a small tin shed in Western Australia. Through an incredible journey of passion and determination, it is now one of Australia’s richest portrait prizes, with thousands of people visiting the exhibition at the Art Gallery of Western Australia each year. In 2019, the Black Swan Prize was rechristened the Lester Prize and this book, Through the Artists’ Eyes, was created to document and showcase the pivotal Black Swan Prize years (2007–2018). This exquisite visual arts book includes stunning photos of winning artworks, the artists’ stories, and the self-doubt, rejection and inspiration behind many of Australia’s finest artists. It also offers a window into the world of people from underprivileged groups, and covers art workshops for hospitalised children, the disabled, the unemployed, Indigenous children in remote areas and elderly people with dementia.