Darcy HAMBRIDGE: Personali-trees 3

2026 MAPh Photography Fair

Darcy HAMBRIDGE
Personali-trees 3  2025 
pigment ink-jet print 
framed
42.0 x 59.4 cm 
ed. 1/1 
collection of the artist
courtesy of the artist

This artwork was a finalist in our annual TOPshots competition and exhibition held in the MAPh Atrium Gallery, 11 March – 4 May 2026. The work at the Photography Fair comprises 6 framed photographic prints from the series that are sold individually.

TOPshots is an annual celebration of emerging photo-media artists selected from a large pool of entries. 2026 marks the 18th anniversary of this award and exhibition, which showcases exceptional photographic work produced by students who have completed the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) subjects of Art Making and Exhibiting, Art Creative Practice and Media, as well as the International Baccalaureate (IB) subject of Visual Arts and the Vocational Education and Training (VET) subject of Visual Arts.

Artist statement

My artwork is a series of 18 framed photographic prints of edited portraits. It explores the connection or lack thereof between people living modern lives and the natural world, which is still an important aspect of our being. I photographed subjects differing in age and gender to represent diversity, which is also present in the variety of foliage species that have been digitally edited over their faces. The artwork is influenced by Christian Thompson's "Australian Graffiti" series, where a sense of nature being intertwined with identity is created. All foliage used is native to Australia as to emphasise the beauty that can be found in our own backyard.