Marri Ngarr artist takes home Australia’s most prestigious First Nations art prize for Our lifestyle of tranquillity undisturbed – a ‘dreamscape’ that challenges colonial modes of representation

An Indigenous artist’s painting that “presents a recomposed view of the past” and challenges the western canon, especially Renaissance art, has won the $100,000 top prize at the 43rd National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander awards (Natsiaa).

The Marri Ngarr artist Dr Ryan Presley received the award on Friday evening for his 2.8 square metre oil on polyester painting, titled Our lifestyle of tranquillity undisturbed.