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The Jury Art Prize 2026
Short Sircut
Erin Nelson
Acrylic paint on canvas
Short Sircut captures a visceral flash of liberation outside Melbourne’s iconic Sircuit bar.
This self-portrait documents the electric joy of shedding the curated identities we navigate daily.
The work centers on a transformative jolt - a short circuit of social pretense - where performance fails and raw authenticity takes over.
It serves as an ode to the radical safety of communal spaces and the profound, restorative power of being witnessed by those who truly see us.
About the Artist
Erin Nelson
Pilbara
New Zealand-born visual artist Erin Nelson is an emerging creative force in the Pilbara and currently serves as the Secretary for the HARTZ (Hedland Arts Council) Studio & Volunteer Committee. After winning the 2025 Kathy Donnelly Emerging Artist Award at the Jury Art Prize, Erin has focused on documenting the raw intersections of people, architecture, and memories that anchor the community. Her work is a dedicated effort to translate fleeting moments and deep-seated memories into a permanent visual record of resilience “My practice is centered on translating stories from isolated moments and memories into a textured, physical reality. Through heavy acrylic layering, I document the daily life of the Pilbara - the buildings, the people, and the animals that ground us. I view my craft as a form of community service; it is a way to witness and record a life built through steady, conscious maintenance, or as my father says: one foot after the other. ”