On our podcast, San Francisco-based Lucy Gray explains the idea of these works, which ponder mental health under the grey skies of LA, as a series of ‘storyboards’ which can be placed in any order. The adjoining text came bound with the images.

“Somewhere between a silent film and a comic. Though I based the characters around two people I know and care about deeply, I needed to go to fiction to show them I understood and to share their world.”

2021 Art judge, Michael Salu says of this work, by the established photographer who’s worked with Tilda Swinton, Elle, The New York Times, and has published books around her groundbreaking projects such as Balancing Acts: Prima Ballerinas becoming Mothers:

“I primarily looked for work that saw the theme (of Metamorphosis) as a frame, and within which might take the freedom – both a blessing a curse at times – to a place that will encourage both the artist and their audience to be able to respond to the work over time. I saw work that did attempt this dialogue, and some were more effective than others in they regard, but I appreciated the effort and exploration applied to each submission.”

Featuring aside all winners and commended entrants in Ambit 245, we gave 17 pages to this work.