Teague Leigh, Jessie Ngaio's Dirt Church (PEOPLE 2026)

I first met Jessie Ngaio during a mentorship program we were both fortunate enough to receive. This photograph is part of a collaborative performance work for the Melbourne Fringe Festival that brings sexuality and nature to the fore. Climate grief is increasingly becoming a driving force in Jessie’s art practice, and she is driven by the belief that art can be medicine. Jessie is part ecowarrior, part sex clown, dressing up in costume and body paint intrinsic in her artwork. This series was taken in Harcourt, Victoria, not long after the devastating bushfires ravaged the region.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.