2026 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Winners Announced, MAGNT, 7 August 2026
The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) is delighted to announce the 2026 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) winners. Northern Territory born artist Ryan Presley is the prestigious 2026 Telstra Art Award winner with his standout oil painting Our lifestyle of tranquillity undisturbed 2026.
Dr Ryan Presley was born in 1987 in Mparntwe / Alice Springs and is a Marri Ngarr artist currently based on Yugambeh Country (Logan City) in south-east Queensland. His practice spans painting, printmaking, sculpture, video, installation and writing, and is marked by a deep engagement with the visual economies of power, memory and resistance.
Ryan’s work critically recomposes grand narratives, foregrounding Indigenous autonomy and challenging colonial modes of representation and understanding. Known for combining technical precision with conceptual rigour, his projects interrogate the symbolic and material legacies of settler-colonialism – particularly through the lens of currency, ritual and state authority. He exhibits internationally, including Gadigal/ Sydney’s Art Gallery of New South Wales (2023) and Artspace (2019), Eindhoven’s Van Abbemuseum (2018) and Vienna’s Gemäldegalerie der Akademie der bildenden Künste (2021).
His major solo exhibition, Fresh Hell, was co-commissioned by Adelaide Contemporary Experimental (Kaurna/Adelaide) and Gertrude Contemporary (Naarm/Melbourne). Ryan is represented by Milani Gallery and holds a PhD in Art Theory (Griffith University 2016). He is a recent recipient of a 2025 Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship.
Telstra Art Award $100,000
Ryan Presley born 1987
Marri Ngarr language
lives Logan, Qld
Our lifestyle of tranquillity undisturbed 2026
oil paint on polyester
183 x 152.7 cm
Artwork Story
The protagonist lies peacefully, accompanied by loyal companion and a luxury rifle; poised on a precarious edge. Dark, reflective waters ripple at the threshold, while in the background a large bushfire sparks and stirs. Elements combined that reflect our present moment, intrinsically shaped by days gone by andcontinually informing days to come. Our lifestyle of tranquillity undisturbed positions the Western canon – particularly the Renaissance – as something locally inherited rather than distantly revered. Renaissance is approached here as a method: the excavation of objects and ideas from the past, carefully recontextualised and redeployed as foundations for renewed artistic inquiry and collective imagination, held together by a fragile hope for social flourishing. One key reference within this painting is Domenico Beccafumi’s The Annunciation (c. 1545–1546).
Artist quote
“Our lifestyle of tranquillity undisturbed appears as a dreamscape that mediates the Orwellian slogan: ‘Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.” – Ryan Presley
Our 2026 Telstra NATSIAA panel of judges are Julie Gough, Yhonnie Scarce and Warraba Weatherall.
Judges’ Comments
“Ryan’s painting is a standout in terms of successfully drawing together diverse cultural, cross cultural and art history references to successfully hold a viewer in affective contemplation about the past, present, future of the figure centrally depicted and by extension the cultural life, memories and responsibilities, they and their compatriots are maintaining, at all costs.
Quote from Adam Worrall, Director, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT).
“My heartfelt congratulations to Ryan for winning this year’s 2026 Telstra Art Award and to all the category winners and finalists. I was captivated by Ryan’s monumental painting that presents a recomposed view of the past, with references to classical Renaissance style. It has been executed with such technical precision and is a standout work in a year when the quality and diversity of entries was exceptional.
“The artworks shared through Telstra NATSIAA showcase the breadth and diversity of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, continuing to demonstrate the important role art plays in preserving culture, sharing stories and fostering greater understanding across Australia.”
Quote from Lyndall Stoyles, Group Executive at Telstra.
“Congratulations to Ryan Presley and all this year’s Telstra NATSIAA winners and finalists. Ryan’s powerful work shows how art can challenge the way we see the world, spark important conversations and deepen our understanding of Australia’s shared history. The Telstra NATSIAA is one of the country’s most important celebrations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture, showcasing extraordinary talent from communities across Australia. We’re incredibly proud to support these awards and celebrate the artists whose stories, creativity and vision continue to inspire us all.”
Overall NATSIAA Judges comments
“The strongest works demonstrate critical artistry grounded in cultural integrity. They embody cultural authority, intellectual rigour and a deep commitment to the responsibilities shared within our contemporary cultural practices.”
Six additional category prizes of $15,000 each, were awarded. This year’s recipients are:
- Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award: Napuwarri Marawili
- Telstra General Painting Award: Vanessa Inkamala
- Telstra Multimedia Award: Colin Heenan-Puruntatameri
- Telstra Work on Paper Award: Jenna Mayilema Lee
- Telstra Bark Painting Award: Barayuwa Munuŋgurr
- Telstra Emerging Artists Award: Guruwuy Murrinyina
For all winners visit: https://www.magnt.net.au/