Ryan Presley Wins 2026 Telstra Art Award for Renaissance-Inspired Painting
Ryan Presley, a Marri Ngarr artist based in Logan City, has claimed the prestigious $100,000 Telstra Art Award during the 2026 NATSIAAs. His striking oil painting titled 'Our lifestyle of tranquillity undisturbed' measures 183 × 152.7 cm and critiques the traditional Western artistic canon, particularly the Renaissance, presenting it as a local heritage. The piece also nods to Domenico Beccafumi's work 'The Annunciation' from the mid-16th century. The award winners were revealed in August 2026, and the exhibition, showcasing 64 finalists, is currently being held at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory until January 24, 2027.
Key facts
- Ryan Presley won the $100,000 Telstra Art Award at the 2026 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.
- The winning work is 'Our lifestyle of tranquillity undisturbed', 2026, oil paint on polyester, 183 × 152.7 cm.
- The work references Domenico Beccafumi's 'The Annunciation', c.1545–6.
- Presley is a Marri Ngarr artist based in Logan City on Yugambeh Country.
- The award is non-acquisitive.
- The exhibition of 64 finalist works is at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory until 24 January 2027.
- The photograph of the work is by Katherine Travis.
- The artist's statement quotes George Orwell: 'Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.'
Entities
Artists
- Ryan Presley
- Domenico Beccafumi
Institutions
- Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards
- Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Locations
- Logan City
- Yugambeh Country
- Australia