We are proud to announce that two of our exceptional Year 12 Visual Arts students, Frraj Zahara and Maya Dhahir, have been shortlisted for the prestigious Future Australian Muslim Artists Art Prize and Exhibition 2025 (FAMA 2025), hosted by the Islamic Museum of Australia.

Their artworks, rich in concept, technique, and emotional depth, will be exhibited in Melbourne from December 2025 to February 2026, alongside other emerging artists from across the country.

Frraj Zahara’s painting series, Letters to My Younger Self, is a deeply personal exploration of memory, cultural identity, and emotional history. Using oil and acrylic on canvas, Frraj transforms lived experience into visual memoirs, drawing inspiration from artists Alice Neel and Vernon Ah Kee. Her expressive brushwork and vibrant palette invite viewers to reflect on the relationships and moments that shape us.

Maya Dhahir’s sculptural work, We Never Really Die – Lucy (2014), challenges the boundaries between body and consciousness. Influenced by Carl Jung, Giacometti, and Julio González, Maya’s welded drapery and fragmented forms evoke the haunting beauty of thought untethered from physical form. Her work is a meditation on identity, memory, and the eternal ripple of mind beyond matter.

This recognition is a testament to the students’ dedication, creativity, and conceptual maturity. Their selection for FAMA 2025 not only celebrates their individual achievements but also highlights the power of art to express identity, challenge perception, and foster cultural dialogue.

We congratulate Frraj and Maya on this incredible milestone and look forward to seeing their work inspire audiences nationwide.