Latest news with #WynnePrize
Sydney Morning Herald
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
It didn't stand out at first, but the Archibald Prize winner suits the times
Amid an epic mishmash of styles in this year's Archibald Prize, the judges have crowned the feminine and the cosmic in painter Julie Fragar's sepia-toned portrait of sculptor Justene Williams. In this large oil on canvas, Williams floats through space in a coarsely stitched stripey dress suggestive of a refashioned prison uniform. Barefoot, arms extended, she drifts among shooting stars and ethereal figures swirling in the darkness beyond. Untethered by gravity, Williams soars above the flotsam of a throwaway world, while mannequins (or possibly bots), TV antennas, turn-of-the-century birdcages, spindly wagon wheels, pine furnishings and metallic offcuts cling to the earth below. The portrait by the Sydney-trained Brisbane artist of a little-known sitter didn't initially resonate with those of us granted an early look at the exhibition. The judges opted for Fragar's abundant mixed messaging over the mastery of Natasha Bieniek's Cressida Campbell, the raw emotion of Chris O'Doherty's self-portrait, and even the fun Jason Phu had with Hugo Weaving. However, it's easy to see its appeal to the trustees tasked with the unenviable job of choosing a winner from hundreds of open submissions. In a moment marked by global conflict, an untethered US president, artistic censorship by the very institutions meant to protect expression and the relentless encroachment of AI on creative livelihoods, perhaps only a gloriously bonkers painting wherein the feminine defiantly triumphs will do. Amen to that. Beyond the media frenzy of the Archibald, there is genuine delight to be found in this year's Wynne Prize, Australia's longest-running art prize, where during the past decade, Aboriginal artworks have increasingly come to the fore. This year's winner is Jude Rae, with an exceptional vertical landscape of Botany Bay's container terminal at pre-dawn, as seen from the artist's fourth-floor apartment on Redfern hill.
The Age
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
It didn't stand out at first, but the Archibald Prize winner suits the times
Amid an epic mishmash of styles in this year's Archibald Prize, the judges have crowned the feminine and the cosmic in painter Julie Fragar's sepia-toned portrait of sculptor Justene Williams. In this large oil on canvas, Williams floats through space in a coarsely stitched stripey dress suggestive of a refashioned prison uniform. Barefoot, arms extended, she drifts among shooting stars and ethereal figures swirling in the darkness beyond. Untethered by gravity, Williams soars above the flotsam of a throwaway world, while mannequins (or possibly bots), TV antennas, turn-of-the-century birdcages, spindly wagon wheels, pine furnishings and metallic offcuts cling to the earth below. The portrait by the Sydney-trained Brisbane artist of a little-known sitter didn't initially resonate with those of us granted an early look at the exhibition. The judges opted for Fragar's abundant mixed messaging over the mastery of Natasha Bieniek's Cressida Campbell, the raw emotion of Chris O'Doherty's self-portrait, and even the fun Jason Phu had with Hugo Weaving. However, it's easy to see its appeal to the trustees tasked with the unenviable job of choosing a winner from hundreds of open submissions. In a moment marked by global conflict, an untethered US president, artistic censorship by the very institutions meant to protect expression and the relentless encroachment of AI on creative livelihoods, perhaps only a gloriously bonkers painting wherein the feminine defiantly triumphs will do. Amen to that. Beyond the media frenzy of the Archibald, there is genuine delight to be found in this year's Wynne Prize, Australia's longest-running art prize, where during the past decade, Aboriginal artworks have increasingly come to the fore. This year's winner is Jude Rae, with an exceptional vertical landscape of Botany Bay's container terminal at pre-dawn, as seen from the artist's fourth-floor apartment on Redfern hill.
Perth Now
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Artist wins Archibald Prize for portrait of ‘dear friend'
Brisbane-based artist Julie Fragar has won the Archibald Prize, one of the most prestigious art accolades in Australia. Fragar's portrait of artist Justene Williams, titled Flagship Mother Multiverse, was chosen unanimously this morning by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and announced at lunchtime. She is the third woman in a row to win the Archibald, following Julia Gutman in 2023 and Laura Jones in 2024. The prize money is $100,000 and Fragar was selected from a field of 904 entries and 57 finalists. She has been a finalist three times previously. Fragar said she chose to paint Williams 'for three reasons, she's a dear friend, (is) a great artist and to capture her other worldliness'. The work was painted in grayscale, and depicts Williams as floating among the stars. 'You work your whole career imagining this might happen one day,' Fragar added. 'Thinking back to myself as a 17-year-old showing up at the Sydney College of the Arts, a kid from country New South Wales, it's incredible to think I have won the Archibald Prize. 'To be the winner of the Archibald Prize is a point of validation. It means so much to have the respect of my colleagues at the Art Gallery. It doesn't get better than that.' Winner of the Archibald Prize 2025: Julie Fragar, Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene). Credit: Julie Fragar Art Gallery director Maud Page said of Fragar's work, ''Here are two of Australia's great artists in conversation about what matters most to them. Julie Fragar has a sumptuous ability to transcend reality and depict her subjects technically but also psychologically. 'Justene Williams is a larger-than-life character, a performer – cacophonous and joyous. In this work, she is surrounded by her own artworks and, most important of all, her daughter Honore as a tiny figure atop a sculpture. It speaks to me as a powerful rendition of the juggle some of us perform as mothers and professionals.' This year's finalists have included portraits of actors Nicole Kidman and Felix Cameron, comedian Aaron Chen, former Australian of the Year winner Grace Tame, and radio personality Jackie Henderson. One finalist, Mathew Calandra, painted a self-portrait of himself as Freddy Kreuger, the villainous character from Nightmare on Elm Street. The Archibald, established in 1921, awards portraits and previous winners have included Vincent Namatjira, Del Kathryn Barton, Tim Storrier, Ben Quilty, John Olsen and Brett Whiteley. The $50,000 Wynne Prize for landscape painting or sculpture, was awarded to Jude Rae for the oil-on-linen work Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal. Winner of the Wynne Prize 2025: Jude Rae, Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal Credit: Jude Rae The $40,000 Sulman Prize for genre painting went to Katoomba-based artist Gene A'Hern for Sky painting, beating a record field of 732 entries. Maud Page, who was announced in March as the new director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, congratulated all of the artists who entered the 2025 awards. For the first time in 2025, women artists made up the majority of finalists in each of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize competitions. Earlier in May, the $3000 Packing Room Prize selected by the gallery's art handling staff went to Abdul Abdullah for a portrait of his friend Jason Phu. The finalists for all three prizes will be on show at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from Saturday until August 17, before touring Victoria and NSW. - With AAP
The Advertiser
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Julie Fragar's black and white portrait wins Archibald
Julie Fragar has won the $100,000 Archibald Prize with her portrait of fellow artist Justene Williams. The winning work is titled Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene), and is painted in grayscale, showing the artist floating among the stars. The title comes from Williams' recent endurance performance in New Zealand - Making do rhymes with poo - about the labour of juggling a day job with art making and motherhood. The winner was selected from 903 entries and 57 finalists, with entries painted in the past year from at least one live sitting. The award, widely regarded as Australia's most prestigious art prize, is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Jude Rae has won the $50,000 Wynne Prize for landscape painting or sculpture, for the oil on linen work Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal. The $40,000 Sulman Prize for genre painting went to Katoomba-based artist Gene A'Hern for Sky painting, beating a record field of 732 entries. Maud Page, who was announced in March as the new director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, has congratulated all of the artists who entered the 2025 awards. For the first time in 2025, women artists made up the majority of finalists in each of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize competitions. Earlier in May, the $3000 Packing Room Prize selected by the gallery's art handling staff went to Abdul Abdullah for a portrait of his friend Jason Phu. The finalists for all three prizes will be on show at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from Saturday until August 17, before touring Victoria and NSW. Julie Fragar has won the $100,000 Archibald Prize with her portrait of fellow artist Justene Williams. The winning work is titled Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene), and is painted in grayscale, showing the artist floating among the stars. The title comes from Williams' recent endurance performance in New Zealand - Making do rhymes with poo - about the labour of juggling a day job with art making and motherhood. The winner was selected from 903 entries and 57 finalists, with entries painted in the past year from at least one live sitting. The award, widely regarded as Australia's most prestigious art prize, is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Jude Rae has won the $50,000 Wynne Prize for landscape painting or sculpture, for the oil on linen work Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal. The $40,000 Sulman Prize for genre painting went to Katoomba-based artist Gene A'Hern for Sky painting, beating a record field of 732 entries. Maud Page, who was announced in March as the new director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, has congratulated all of the artists who entered the 2025 awards. For the first time in 2025, women artists made up the majority of finalists in each of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize competitions. Earlier in May, the $3000 Packing Room Prize selected by the gallery's art handling staff went to Abdul Abdullah for a portrait of his friend Jason Phu. The finalists for all three prizes will be on show at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from Saturday until August 17, before touring Victoria and NSW. Julie Fragar has won the $100,000 Archibald Prize with her portrait of fellow artist Justene Williams. The winning work is titled Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene), and is painted in grayscale, showing the artist floating among the stars. The title comes from Williams' recent endurance performance in New Zealand - Making do rhymes with poo - about the labour of juggling a day job with art making and motherhood. The winner was selected from 903 entries and 57 finalists, with entries painted in the past year from at least one live sitting. The award, widely regarded as Australia's most prestigious art prize, is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Jude Rae has won the $50,000 Wynne Prize for landscape painting or sculpture, for the oil on linen work Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal. The $40,000 Sulman Prize for genre painting went to Katoomba-based artist Gene A'Hern for Sky painting, beating a record field of 732 entries. Maud Page, who was announced in March as the new director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, has congratulated all of the artists who entered the 2025 awards. For the first time in 2025, women artists made up the majority of finalists in each of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize competitions. Earlier in May, the $3000 Packing Room Prize selected by the gallery's art handling staff went to Abdul Abdullah for a portrait of his friend Jason Phu. The finalists for all three prizes will be on show at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from Saturday until August 17, before touring Victoria and NSW. Julie Fragar has won the $100,000 Archibald Prize with her portrait of fellow artist Justene Williams. The winning work is titled Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene), and is painted in grayscale, showing the artist floating among the stars. The title comes from Williams' recent endurance performance in New Zealand - Making do rhymes with poo - about the labour of juggling a day job with art making and motherhood. The winner was selected from 903 entries and 57 finalists, with entries painted in the past year from at least one live sitting. The award, widely regarded as Australia's most prestigious art prize, is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Jude Rae has won the $50,000 Wynne Prize for landscape painting or sculpture, for the oil on linen work Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal. The $40,000 Sulman Prize for genre painting went to Katoomba-based artist Gene A'Hern for Sky painting, beating a record field of 732 entries. Maud Page, who was announced in March as the new director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, has congratulated all of the artists who entered the 2025 awards. For the first time in 2025, women artists made up the majority of finalists in each of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize competitions. Earlier in May, the $3000 Packing Room Prize selected by the gallery's art handling staff went to Abdul Abdullah for a portrait of his friend Jason Phu. The finalists for all three prizes will be on show at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from Saturday until August 17, before touring Victoria and NSW.
Perth Now
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Julie Fragar's black and white portrait wins Archibald
Julie Fragar has won the $100,000 Archibald Prize with her portrait of fellow artist Justene Williams. The winning work is titled Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene), and is painted in grayscale, showing the artist floating among the stars. The title comes from Williams' recent endurance performance in New Zealand - Making do rhymes with poo - about the labour of juggling a day job with art making and motherhood. The winner was selected from 903 entries and 57 finalists, with entries painted in the past year from at least one live sitting. The award, widely regarded as Australia's most prestigious art prize, is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Jude Rae has won the $50,000 Wynne Prize for landscape painting or sculpture, for the oil on linen work Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal. The $40,000 Sulman Prize for genre painting went to Katoomba-based artist Gene A'Hern for Sky painting, beating a record field of 732 entries. Maud Page, who was announced in March as the new director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, has congratulated all of the artists who entered the 2025 awards. For the first time in 2025, women artists made up the majority of finalists in each of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize competitions. Earlier in May, the $3000 Packing Room Prize selected by the gallery's art handling staff went to Abdul Abdullah for a portrait of his friend Jason Phu. The finalists for all three prizes will be on show at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from Saturday until August 17, before touring Victoria and NSW.
