JUNCTURE is Linden New Art's biennial prize supporting two mid-career Australian artists as they push into new creative territory. For the 2026 edition, Naarm-based painter Gian Manik and multidisciplinary artist Sarah CrowEST were each awarded $20,000 to develop ambitious new bodies of work, now on show at the St Kilda gallery. Manik's project draws on historical Orientalist collections, reworking materials, imagery and cultural narratives from international museum archives into a new, materially rich body of paintings. CrowEST's work sits at the intersection of poetry, signage and textile craft, using techniques including digital embroidery and archival printing to explore language as a visual and physical form. Presented together, the two projects offer a considered look at how established artists take creative risks mid-career, backed by a Creative Australia-supported initiative that gives them room to experiment beyond their usual practice. Visitors with an interest in contemporary Australian painting, textiles or conceptual art will find plenty to consider across the two connected exhibitions, on show at Linden's Acland Street gallery through to 9 November.