Behind a prize‑winning portrait: Artist talk & film screening

Join us at MPRG for an engaging evening with artist Michael Vale and filmmaker Donna McRae, beginning with an introduction to their creative partnership and a brief overview of Vale’s exhibition.

Together, they will reflect on the ideas behind Our Ghostly Crew—the acclaimed portrait that won the 2021 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, Australia’s richest portrait award—and discuss the filming process that documented its making.

Painted during Melbourne’s first lockdown, the work depicts Vale, McRae and their late dog Pancho in a surreal, atmospheric landscape shaped by the couple’s shared love of horror and the supernatural.

The evening continues with a screening of McRae’s 22‑minute documentary Our Ghostly Crew, which traces the evolution of the painting from early concepts through to its national recognition. Intimate and insightful, the film offers a rare glimpse into the collaborative process between painter and filmmaker and the development of their distinctive gothic‑absurdist vision.

Following the screening, Vale and McRae will join MPRG Director Dunja Rmandic and Curator Rebecca Owens for an in‑depth conversation, exploring the intersection of painting and filmmaking, their collaborative dynamics, and the personal histories embedded within this now‑iconic work.

The evening will conclude with drinks and nibbles in the foyer, offering the audience a chance to unwind and continue the conversation with Vale and McRae in a relaxed social setting.

Image: Michael Vale, Our Ghostly Crew, 2021, oil on canvas (detail)

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Host or Publisher Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery