Archibald, Wynne & Sulman Prizes 2012 - Preview

Angus McDonald - "Tim Maguire"

The sometimes controversial Archibald art award for portrait painting is on again and will have its Opening Night on the 30 March 2012. This year the Archibald provides fairly steady fare with few paintings which would cause any great debate or discussion. There are the usual smattering of well established painters represented amongst the finalists such as Luke Cornish, Adam Cullen, David Fairbairn, Ben Quilty, Jenny Sages, Martin Sharp, Wendy Sharp, Jiawei Shen, Tim Storrier,  Craig Waddell etc. and a few newcomers. Much of the works on display traverse the strongly abstract (Tim Storrier) to the more traditional portraiture techniques in form and style (Angus McDonald). On entry to the exhibition the viewer is confronted with a full size portrait of prominent business identity and arts imperator, David Gonski and from there on, the 41 individual works are paced along the walls of the AGNSW. This year there are no politicians amongst the subjects but there are a large number of self portraits or arts personages such as artist Lindy Lee, curator Hetti Perkins, art collector John Yu, artist Charles Blackman, musician Missy Higgins and a rather odd self portrait by Wendy Sharpe of herself with a penguin at Mawson's Hut in Antarctica.

Tim Storrier - "The histrionic wayfarer (after Bosch)

The Wynne Prize for landscape painting or figurative sculpture has a strong representation of works by established artists and perennials  such as Graham Fransella, Nicholas Harding, Jenny Sages, Tim Storrier, Imants Tillers, Aida Tomescu, Craig Waddell, Philip Wolfhagen etc. The Wynne Prize is also very steady fare and like the Sulman prize very much in the shadow of the much better known Archies. 

This year also marks the first time in 33 years that now former AGNSW Director, Edmund Capon will not be officiating at this exhibition following his retirement from the Gallery in December 2011.  In many respects, his well known (and much liked) irreverence for the prize is a sorely missed ingredient.