The Xtra Diary - Photograph 'Mandy' taken by Robert Attard

Published: 18 June, 2010

Question: When is a photograph not a photograph? 

Answer: When you could hang it in the Louvre and fool even the most eagle-eyed academy art buff. 

On closer inspection, what appears to be the dapple of the brush is in fact the fine grain of the camera. Deceptive con trick or I-did-it-my-way approach to the lens? Whatever you think of it, the artist, City of Westminster student Robert Attard is certainly making people stand up and look. 

He has won the prestigious Free Range award for his shot, Mandy. Winners were chosen by a distinguished panel from the art industry, including director of exhibitions at the Royal Academy Kathleen Soriano. 

Attard cleared up any confusion over the picture: “Mandy is one of my own favourite works, as I feel that it represents me as a photographer. Despite the photo not being staged, I wanted it to look as much like painting as possible.”

City of Westminster College Untitled at Free Range: runs until July 26. 

For more information visit www.free-range.org.uk