There's something beautifully fitting about a Broken Hill artist winning the town's most prestigious art prize with a work that cheekily challenges the very identity of the place she calls home. Krystle Evans, a Barkindji/Malyangapa woman, has claimed the $20,000 Pro Hart Outback Art Prize for 2025 with her contemporary textile work "Not so wild west" – a piece that dares to ask whether the outback's legendary wildness might be more myth than reality these days.

The announcement came at Friday night's opening celebration at Broken Hill City Art Gallery, where more than 250 guests gathered to celebrate 50 finalist works from across Australia. Among the crowd were dignitaries, fellow artists, and proud community members witnessing one of their own take centre stage on the national arts scene.

Evans' winning piece isn't your typical outback landscape. Created with an eclectic mix of fabric, paint, wool, thread, doilies, felt, bailing twine, buttons, tulle, rope, and lace, the 150 x 150cm work offers what she describes as "a satirical and feminist reflection on Broken Hill's identity."

"I was very inspired by where I live," Evans explains. "We talk about it being the Wild West out here, but in a contemporary context it's perhaps not so wild anymore. Not so wild west feminises the idea of the West and its men, playing with humour, reclaimed colonial fabrics, and a tongue-in-cheek nod to gender politics old and new."

It's exactly this kind of bold, thoughtful approach that caught the eye of guest judge Brett Adlington, CEO of Museums & Galleries NSW, who brought 25 years of gallery experience to the judging panel.

Adlington's assessment of Evans' work reveals why it stood out among the impressive field of 50 finalists: "A work that speaks to the concerns of now, offering a unique perspective on the outback and one that digs a bit deeper into the psyche of this place – beyond a simple representation of it."

The judge was particularly conscious of selecting work that would enhance the Broken Hill City Art Gallery's permanent collection while reflecting contemporary artistic practice. "I was conscious of this work entering a permanent and important collection, a work that will continue to resonate in years to come," Adlington noted.

"Krystle's work offered a fresh look at what it means to live in the outback, a slightly surprising, yet deeply compelling acquisition for the Gallery."

The Pro Hart Outback Art Prize represents more than just recognition – it's an acquisitive award, meaning winning works become permanent parts of Broken Hill's cultural legacy. Proudly supported by the Hart family in honour of the late Pro Hart and his extraordinary contribution to regional arts, the prize champions contemporary art that reflects the spirit, beauty, and complexity of the outback.

Gallery and Museum Manager Kathy Graham emphasised this lasting impact.

"We are proud to welcome Krystle Evans' Not so wild west into the Broken Hill City Art Gallery Collection. Krystle's contemporary textile piece brings a bold, witty and deeply local perspective to the outback. It is a work that challenges, surprises, and will continue to resonate with audiences for years to come," she said.

While Evans claimed the top prize, the standard across all entries was exceptionally high. Chris Byrnes took second prize ($2,000) for "The distance between the layers 1," an experimental photography work that explores the physical distance between Central Australia and the artist's east coast home. Adlington praised it as a piece "he kept coming back to," highlighting its dark and brooding presence.

Hans Romeyn received Highly Commended recognition for "40k's out," an acrylic on canvas work inspired by his first road trip to Broken Hill. "I was struck by the vast, sun-scorched landscape, its mirage-like horizons, rich colours, and harsh beauty," Romeyn reflected. "In this piece, I've tried to capture that essence, the heat, the silence, the shimmer."

Open to artists nationwide and in any medium, this year's exhibition showcases an impressive diversity of contemporary practice – from painting and photography to sculpture, textiles, and mixed media. It's a testament to how the concept of "outback art" has evolved far beyond traditional landscape painting to embrace complex, contemporary perspectives on regional Australian life.

As visitors explore the exhibition, which runs until November 2 2025, they'll encounter 50 different interpretations of what the outback means in contemporary Australia. Some may offer familiar visions of red earth and endless skies, while others, like Evans' winning piece, challenge us to think more deeply about the stories we tell ourselves about this place.

In a world where regional communities often struggle for recognition and representation, prizes like the Pro Hart Outback Art Prize serve a vital function. They don't just celebrate artistic excellence – they ensure that diverse regional voices continue to contribute to Australia's cultural conversation.

For Krystle Evans, a Barkindji/Malyangapa woman whose work now joins the permanent collection at Broken Hill City Art Gallery, it's recognition that the outback's stories are far from simple – and perhaps that's exactly as it should be. After all, the best art has always been about looking beyond the surface to find the deeper truths underneath.

The wild west might not be quite as wild as it once was, but as Evans' victory shows, it's certainly no less interesting.