The Royal Queensland Art Society would like to congratulate all the winners in the 2025 Salon des Refusés exhibition, which is run in conjunction with the Brisbane Portrait Prize.
Thank you also to our judges Jan Manton, Frances McKennariey F.R.Q.A.S, and Andrew Bonneau for judging this exhibition. Please scroll down to view the winning artworks and judges’ comments.
Petrie Terrace Gallery Awards
Judged by Jan Manton
Girl on Rug
by Alissa Lamb
As a judge, I was immediately drawn to ‘Girl on Rug’ for its thoughtful composition and refined sense of balance. The aerial viewpoint creates a flattened perspective that highlights the dialogue between the striped dress and the ornate rug beneath. I appreciate the artist’s confident use of cropping — the rug’s fringe at the top left and the extended leg anchoring the lower edge — which adds both tension and harmony to the work. The longer you look, the more you notice how the careful design and quiet emotion work hand in hand.
Judged by Frances McKennariey F.R.Q.A.S
Self Thinking of Adam Cullen
by Daniel Butterworth
This work makes compelling use of the traditional, though not conventional portrait elements using a limited palette, perspective and movement. The paint reveals the artist’s physical presence in every mark, texture and rhythm. Importantly, the use of perspective also serves to highlight the artist’s own action of thinking and movement so that we witness the act of creation itself in this work. An outstanding achievement depicting the deep connection between the artist, his materials, and his life.
Judged by Andrew Bonneau
Self Portrait with Poppies
by Jared Fountain
The use of atmosphere in this painting is great. Brush marks are varied, and the composition is engaging. Interestingly, sharp edges are not used in the face, but reserved for the poppy leaves, leaving the face more ambiguous. A fascinating use of subtle layering of paint gives a sense of optical depth.
Overall, this portrait definitely has a sense of human presence and feeling.
