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<v ->I'd like to begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal</v>

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and Ngambri peoples, the traditional custodians

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on the land in which this gallery stands.

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I'd like to pay my respects to the elders of the

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Ngunnawal and Ngambri nations, both past and present.

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I welcome here today Mrs. Marilyn Darling AC,

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founding patron and member of

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the Foundation of National Portrait Gallery.

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<v ->There seems to me to be no doubt</v>

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that the National Portrait Gallery of Australia

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should be the home of an annual prize for painted portraits,

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just as it is for photographic portraits.

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And the winner is Anthea da Silva

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with her portrait of Dr. Elizabeth Cameron-Dalman.

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(applause)

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Congratulations!
<v ->Thank you.</v>

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<v ->Congratulations.</v>

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<v ->Well, I'm gonna talk on the judges' behalf.</v>

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Because I think feedback is always important.

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What we loved about this work

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was the sort of mild chaos in it.

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It's got a seemingly unfinished nature.

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It's evident that we had a senior figure,

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who's full of energy, and has more to do in her life

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as a professional dancer.

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And there is joy and happiness,

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and a sense of accomplishment in her face.

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I noticed on the artist's website, Anthea's website,

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a detail of the face.

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And I find it quite intriguing

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and see many years of experience and physical endurance.

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A life of achievement that is evident in the gaze.

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If it's okay, I'll use your words.

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Your statement.

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Elizabeth Cameron-Dalman OAM,

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has a PhD, and has been described as the high priestess

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of Australian contemporary dance.

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And Anthea says, "She's inspired by

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"her constant reinvention as dancer, choreographer,

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"actor, director, and environmental activist."

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And here is Elizabeth, momentarily resting her feet

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at Mirramu Creative Arts Center, Bungendore,

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preparing for her next adventure.

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So, Anthea for me has respectfully captured

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the essence of her subject, Elizabeth.

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A person who has lived her life

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with commitment and love of her profession

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and the institution of performance.

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She takes a deep breath now, and has a rest in portrait

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as we admire her history and her professionalism

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and love of dance.

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The judges congratulate Anthea

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for successfully capturing one moment from a big life,

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and a highly successful one at that.

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And Anthea has a passion for drawing,

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which is evident in this painting.

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And portraiture is central to her work.

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The bleeding within the work is deliberate.

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And to us, it emphasized the fragility of human nature.

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There is an inner fascination operating within this work.

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So often portraiture lacks breath and movement.

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But as we concentrate on her face,

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we somehow connect to the sitter.

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The work is honest and unapologetic.

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Its unfinished quality is engaging and whimsical.

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On behalf of the judges, I congratulate the artist

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and the sitter, Anthea and Elizabeth,

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and I thank Marilyn Darling for enabling this moment,

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in honor of Gordon Darling.

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Their shared vision has come to fruition.

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Not only do we have a globally significant portrait gallery,

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we have a prize that will recognize artists

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and highlight our unique Australian identity.

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<v ->We're very excited to be here with the winner</v>

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of the inaugural Darling Portrait Prize, Anthea Da Silva.

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Congratulations on your win.

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<v ->Thank you so much.</v>

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<v ->I was just wondering if perhaps</v>

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you might be able to introduce

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your gorgeous subject here to us.

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<v ->With pleasure.</v>

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This is Elizabeth Cameron-Dalman, OAM, PhD, OMG.

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(laughter)

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<v ->And can you tell us a little bit about how you met,</v>

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and how the portrait came to be?

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<v ->Yes, okay.</v>

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So, I've known Elizabeth for a number of years now.

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And I just keep being inspired by Elizabeth's activity.

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She's just off on other adventures constantly.

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So, I was really fortunate to get serious about a sitting,

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or several this year, last year.

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I've known Elizabeth for many years.

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<v ->More than 20, I think.</v>

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<v ->More than 20, oh we were so young once, yes.</v>

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(laughter)

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But I've really loved watching Elizabeth's career

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just going off in so many amazing tangents.

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I think two years ago, you said you'd take up acting?

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<v ->Yes.</v>

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<v ->Yes, and you've toured internationally now with Swan Lake.</v>

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And how do you pronounce that?

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<v ->Loch na hEala, which is the Irish name for Swan Lake.</v>

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But it's with an Irish dance theater company

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called Teac Damsa.

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And we created this work,

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Michael Keegan-Dolan is the director,

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was created in 2016.

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And we continually are touring the world still

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with this production.

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So I feel very lucky that I'm part of this group.

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<v ->And Elizabeth, your background is in dance.</v>

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Can you tell us a little bit about your career?

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<v ->Well, yes, I think I've been dancing since I was born.</v>

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But I founded Australian Dance Theatre in 1965,

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and was their director for 10 years.

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Very proud that the company still exists.

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2015, we celebrated the 50th anniversary.

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And Garry Stewart is now directing that.

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Then I spent many years in Europe.

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But I came back to Australia in 1987.

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And then moved to Wheeler Well, Lake George in 1989.

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So I've now been at Mirramu Creative Arts Center

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for 30 years, both as a freelance performer,

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choreographer, teacher,

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but also director of Mirramu Dance Company.

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As well as doing lots of other things, as well.

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But I just love being around artists,

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and artists of all disciplines.

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And that's what drove me to

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set up Mirramu Creative Arts Centre.

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And then the Centre has drawn people like Anthea,

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who first came to one of our Dance in Nature Workshops.

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And I know that she has the same passion

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about relationship to nature,

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and how important we need to respect

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and take care of our environment.

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And that she's managed to capture a little bit of that

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in this painting, I think is fantastic.

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<v ->We were just commenting earlier,</v>

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we saw you sitting on a bench over in the corner,

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just having a little break

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from all of the lights and cameras and action.

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And you were in exactly the same pose

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as you are in this portrait.

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So, clearly this is a very natural pose for you.

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Anthea, do you think you've captured something

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of the essence of Elizabeth in this portrait?

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<v ->(laughs) Oh, I hope so.</v>

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I hope so.

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We did lots of sittings, I think.

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And I think I love charcoal,

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and I love the stumbling nature of oils too.

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But this is the most un-layered version I think

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of any of the studies that I did.

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And I'm just really glad that

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it's got that kind of fleeting look, you know.

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It's like a number of sketches.

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Because there's so much dynamism and action

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with you, Elizabeth. (laughs)

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And I wanted to get your feet in.

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I think most of the other studies I did

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were just shoulders and head, and your amazing hair.

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So this one, I wanted to incorporate those dancing feet.

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<v ->Dancing feet and wild hair!</v>
<v ->Not necessarily dancing.</v>

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And wild hair!(laughs)

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<v ->I think it's really interesting.</v>

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I think about 10 years ago, I was thinking about

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actually, eventually cutting my hair.

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And then, with the Swan Lake,

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very particularly, the director wanted a woman,

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a senior woman, if possible, with long white hair.

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And so I went "Oh, there it goes!

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"I'll have to leave my hair!"

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(laughter)

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And now, yes, more recently too,

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I've been working on a project called, "Crone,"

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about the importance of the senior woman's voice

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in our society today.

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And for that project,

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having my long hair was really important.

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And I dance with my hair, as well as my feet,

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and the rest of my body. (chuckles)

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So, my hair has become a really important thing for me.

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<v ->Well, we're delighted that</v>

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Anthea could bring the senior voice

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to the walls of the Portrait Gallery today.

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So, thank you so much.

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And congratulations on your win,

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and congratulations and thank you to both of you

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for being here today.

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<v ->Thank you so much.</v>
<v ->Thank you.</v>

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<v ->Thank you.</v>