For the first time in 102 years there are more art works by women (30) than men (27) in the Archibald prize finalist exhibition, and a greater number of Indigenous artists represented overall across the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman shows on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. There are also more women depicted in the Archibald portraits than men.
The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman finalists are chosen by the 11 person Board of Trustees of the AGNSW which includes 2 artists, Tony Albert and Caroline Rothwell. The panel selects the paintings based on their artistic merit, blind to the artist’s identity, and their gender.
It’s a democratic approach that is now echoed by the $3,000 Packing Room Prize, which used to have a single judge but is now chosen by three art handlers at the gallery Monica Rudhar, Tim Dale and Alexis Wildman, who are all artists. The Packing Room Prize has been awarded to Andrea Huelin for her painting ‘Crown Jewels’.
The portrait is of comedian Cal Wilson wearing a headdress made from household items and dolls which Wilson made in Melbourne’s lockdown period and then shared on social media, making her Instragram follower Huelin laugh out loud and ask Wilson if she would sit for a portrait. Wilson told the ABC “I just love the fact that so much time and talent and effort has gone into immortalising something as ridiculous as this…It’s such a thrill. I have not stopped beaming ever since I got the message from Andrea.”
Of the Archibald Prize finalists there is an array of styles and subjects on display from Laura Jones’ vibrant neon green hues in ‘Claudia (GOAT)’ of the actress Claudia Karvan who sat for the portrait between a matinee and evening show, another fleeting moment captured for posterity is Sarah McCloskey’s portrait of writer, performer and visual artist Omar Musa and herself in ‘Social distancing’ which mirrors the appearance of a Facetime call, another clever nod to the passage of time and potential of portraiture is Ryan Presley’s work ‘Blood money – infinite dollar note – Aunty Regina Pilawuk Wilson’ of which the artist notes ‘I believe Aunty Regina’s life and achievements provide an important comparison to Queen Elizabeth II’s. Both women have a regal air: one substantiated by an empire and the consumption of colonialism; the other achieved through the great feat of reclaiming her (and her community’s) cultural identity in the face of colonialism.’
The Archibald Prize winner will take home $100,000. You can visit all the shows from 6 May, and they will be on view until 3 September.