the archibald prize
DESCRIPTION
A general overview of the history and winners of the Prize up to 2008.TRANSCRIPT
THE ARCHIBALD PRIZE
REJECTION SELECTION REWARD
IN THE BEGINNING….• Jules Francois Archibald• b. 1865 d.1919• Founding Editor of
Melbourne’s Bulletin newspaper
• Left considerable wealth- £90,000
• This paid for : Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park,
a journalists benevolent fund and 10% to annual portrait prize..initially £400
THE RULES• The subject was to be a man or woman
distinguished in the arts, letters, science or politics.
• It is a non-acquisitive annual art prize• Portraits should be as far as practicable
painted from life and may be of any size.• No direct copies from photographs are be
considered eligible. • 2003 A size limitation was introduced,
90,000cm2
Early Winners• W.B. McInnes“Portrait of a lady” 1923£501This work was criticised
as her identity was not revealed.
She is “a nobody” it was claimed.
McInnes won the prize FIVE times.
William Dargie
• Was digging on war service trenches in Tobruk when he was notified of his win with this portrait.
• His wife had put the portrait into the prize in his absence signing papers herself.
William Dargie“Mr Albert Namatjira”
1956“Albert had the most
wonderful face for a portrait I’ve ever seen..he had a tremendous inner dignity..like the tranquillity of antique statues..”
ControversyWilliam Dobell
“Portrait of Joshua Smith” 1943 £429
First of three wins for DobellSmith a fellow artist and
friend of Dobell both were war camouflage artists.
Public outcry resulted in a lengthy courtcase
Prize was upheld at cost of both men’s health & wellbeing
It changed the way Australia saw art
Portraiture or Caricature?
The Postwar YearsWilliam Dobell
“Margaret Olley” 1948Sydney art scene a tight
group at this time.Olley, an artist and friend
of Dobells, attended an exhibition in a bizarre dress made from an old parachute and a wedding dress.
She sat for him after that wild night out..this was the result.
It was delivered wet ! £500
Politics
Clifton Pugh 1972 “The Hon E.G. Whitlam”..the then new Prime Minister. ($2500)“my place in the history of art and yours in the history of politics
are now secure” Gough Whitlam to Pugh.
One of quite a few images of PM over the years
More Controversy• John Bloomfield• Awarded prize for “Tim
Burstall” 1975 ( then $3170)
• Admitted he had never met him.
• Found to have painted image from Cleo mag. Image
• Stripped of prize in Feb ‘76• Gallery paid $500 for it.• He attempted to sue for
Redefining Portraits Brett Whiteley
‘Life, Art and the Other Thing” 1975
$3170This work stretched
understandings of likeness and realism, challenging ideas on portraiture.
Varying StylesNigel Thompson
“Chandler Conventry”1983. $10,000
• A gallery owner• Super realist style• Powerful use of
space• Photographic in
character
Keith Looby“Max Gillies” 1984
TV satirist/ comicFamous for send ups of
PM HawkePolitical in that Hawke
didn’t like Gillies muchHighly decorative almost
comical style.Stylised treatment of
figures.
Guy Warren“Flugelman with Wingman”
1985 $10,000• 1st time winner but
established portraitist $2,10 and $20 notes.
• Dared by Bert Flugelman friend and sculptor to paint each other for the Prize.
• Against one of his own paintings as a backdrop
• Wings become Berts• Portrait and landscape
Davida Allen“Dr John Arthur McKelvey Shera” 1986 $20,000
Outrageously unconventional.
Very painterly , expressive and bold.
Vladas Meskenas ‘Rene Rivkin” 1988Rivkin promised to buy it but backed out after Capon said Yuk!
Rivkin jailed 03 for insider trading then suicided 05.
William Robinson“Self Portrait with
Stunned Mullet” 1995
Plays on Australian vernacular.
References 18thC Hogarth Girl and the Shrimp
Has element of humour
• Nigel Thompson “Barbara Blackman” 1997• Blind writer and ex wife of artist Charles Blackman• Very symbolic, powerful.• “Blindness is a shortcut to humility, exile and otherness”
Lewis Miller“Allan Mittleman” 1998
Third attempt at Prize with images of this man.
Looming presence and dimensions
Unconventional media Oil and Charcoal on canvas
Euan McleodSelf Portrait
“Head like a hole” 1999
A ‘risky’ choice by judges
• Unorthodox representation a shark threatened portrait
• Dark, anxious frightening
Adam Cullen“Portrait of David
Wenham”2000
$35,000Spontaneous, livelyUsed Dulux house
paintHints at a deranged
character played by Wenham
Craig RuddyDavid Gulpilil
2004• Haunting
powerful image
• Charcoal on Wallpaper sections
• Built up linear style
Del Katherine Barton“You are what is most
Beautiful about me”2008
Subject is self and own children
Very detailed, decorative style
Paint and penHas a textile like quality