Sunday 17 April 2011

List of Past People's Choice Winners

YearArtistTitle
2009Fantauzzo, VincentBrandon
2008Fantauzzo, VincentHeath
2007Ploeg, EvertGeorge Ellis
2006Jackson, PaulGarry McDonald "All the world's a stage..."
2005Harding, NicholasBob's daily swim
2004Ruddy, CraigDavid Gulpilil, two worlds
2003Zhao, Dalu'Lao Fei' Stephen Fitzgerald
2002Williamson, JanJenny Morris - singer/songwriter
2001Newton, PaulRoy and HG (John Doyle and Greig Pickhaver)
2000Erlich, EstherNever Been Better
1999Ploeg, EvertDeborah Mailman
1998Hannaford, RobertRolf Prince
1997Lynn, MathewJeanne Ryckmans
1996Hannaford, RobertSelf Portrait
1995Palaitis, JosoniaBill Leak
1994Leak, BillMalcolm Turnbull
1993Little, JenniferVictor Sellu
1991/92Hannaford, RobertPortrait of Hugh Stretton
1990Campbell, RegSelf Portrait
1989Meskenas, VladasDonald Friend 1989
1988Cress, FredJohn Beard

List of Past Packing Room Prize Winners

YearArtistTitle
2011Fantauzzo, VincentMatt Moran
2009Jackson, PaulFlacco’s chariot
2008Ball, MartinNeil Finn
2007Bergstrom, DanelleTake two - Jack Thompson
2006Mucci, MichaelA working class man
2005Benjamin, JasonStaring down the past
2004Ploeg, EvertJana Wendt
2003Williamson, JanRachel Ward
2002Williamson, JanJenny Morris - singer/songwriter
2001Newton, PaulRoy and HG (John Doyle and Greig Pickhaver)
2000Leak, Bill'Are you with me' Portrait of Sir Les Patterson
1999Christian, DenyGarry McDonald
1998Lester, KerrieSelf Portrait as a bridesmaid
1997Leak, BillTex (Perkins)
1996Newton, PaulJohn Laws
1995Bergstrom, DanelleJon English
1994Robertson, PeterKate Ceberano
1993Erbsland, AngelikaColin Hayes OBE and friend
1991/92Bridges, GregGareth Evans

List of Past Archibald Prize Winners

YearArtistTitle
2011Quilty, BenMargaret Olley
2010Leach, SamTim Minchin
2009Maestri, GuyGeoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
2008Barton, Del KathrynYou are what is most beautiful about me, a self portrait with Kell and Arella
2007Beard, JohnJanet Laurence
2006Wills, MarcusThe Paul Juraszek monolith (after Marcus Gheeraerts)
2005Olsen, JohnSelf portrait Janus Faced
2004Ruddy, CraigDavid Gulpilil, two worlds
2003Dyer, GeoffreyRichard Flanagan
2002Hood, CherrySimon Tedeschi unplugged
2001Harding, NicholasJohn Bell as King Lear
2000Cullen, AdamPortrait of David Wenham
1999MacLeod, EuanSelf Portrait/head like a hole
1998Miller, LewisPortrait of Allan Mitelman no.3
1997Thomson, NigelBarbara Blackman
1996Sharpe, WendySelf Portrait - as Diana of Erskineville
1995Robinson, WilliamSelf Portrait With Stunned Mullet
1994Giacco, FrancisHomage to John Reichard
1993Shead, GarryTom Thompson
1991/92Westwood, BryanThe Prime Minister
1990Proud, GeoffreyDorothy Hewett
1989Westwood, BryanPortrait of Elwyn Lynn
1988Cress, FredJohn Beard
1987Robinson, WilliamEquestrian Self Portrait
1986Allen, DavidaDr John Arthur McKelvie Shera
1985Warren, GuyFlugelman with Wingman
1984Looby, KeithMax Gillies
1983Thomson, NigelChandler Coventry
1982Smith, EricPeter Sculthorpe
1981Smith, EricRudy Komon
1979Walters, WesleyPortrait of Phillip Adams
1978Whiteley, BrettArt, Life and the other thing
1977Connor, KevinRobert Klippel
1976Whiteley, BrettSelf Portrait in the Studio
1975Connor, KevinThe Hon Sir Frank Kitto, K.B.E.
1974Fullbrook, SamuelJockey Norman Stephens
1973Dawson, JanetMichael Boddy
1972Pugh, CliftonThe Hon E.G. Whitlam
1971Pugh, CliftonSir John McEwan
1970Smith, EricGruzman - Architect
1969Crooke, RayGeorge Johnston
1968Pidgeon, WilliamLloyd Rees
1967Cassab, JudyMargo Lewers
1966Molvig, JonCharles Blackman
1965Pugh, CliftonR. A. Henderson, Esq.
1963Carington Smith, JackProfessor James McAuley
1962Kahan, LouisPatrick White
1961Pidgeon, WilliamRabbi Dr I. Porush
1960Cassab, JudyStanislaus Rapotec
1959Dobell, WilliamDr Edward MacMahon
1958Pidgeon, WilliamMr Ray Walker
1957Hele, IvorSelf Portrait
1956Dargie, WilliamMr. Albert Namatjira
1955Hele, IvorRobert Campbell
1954Hele, IvorRt. Hon. R. G. Menzies, P.C., C.H., Q.C., M.P.
1953Hele, IvorSir Henry Simpson Newland, CBE, DSO, MS, FRCS
1952Dargie, WilliamMr Essington Lewis, CH
1951Hele, IvorLaurie Thomas
1950Dargie, WilliamSir Leslie McConnan
1949Murch, Arthur JBonar Dunlop
1948Dobell, WilliamMargaret Olley
1947Dargie, WilliamSir Marcus Clarke, Kt., K.B.E. [sic]
1946Dargie, WilliamL. C. Robson, M.C., M.A..
1945Dargie, WilliamLt-General The Hon Edmund Herring, KBC, DSO, MC, ED
1944Smith, JoshuaSpeaker, House of Representatives, Hon. J. S. Rosevear, M.P.
1943Dobell, WilliamMr. Joshua Smith
1942Dargie, WilliamCorporal Jim Gordon, VC
1941Dargie, WilliamSir James Elder, KBE
1940Meldrum, MaxDr J. Forbes McKenzie
1939Meldrum, MaxHon G. J. Bell, C.M.G., D.S.O., V.D., (Speaker, House of Representatives)
1938Heysen, NoraMme Elink Schuurman
1937Baker, Normand HenrySelf Portrait
1936McInnes, William BeckwithDr Julian Smith
1935Longstaff, JohnA. B. ('Banjo') Paterson
1934Hanke, Henry AloysiusSelf Portrait
1933Wheeler, CharlesAmbrose Pratt
1932Buckmaster, ErnestSir William Irvine
1931Longstaff, JohnSir John Sulman
1930McInnes, William BeckwithDrum-Major Harry McClelland
1929Longstaff, JohnThe Hon. W. A. Holman, KC
1928Longstaff, JohnDr Alexander Leeper
1927Lambert, George WashingtonMrs Murdoch
1926McInnes, William BeckwithSilk and Lace (Miss Esther Paterson)
1925Longstaff, JohnMaurice Moscovitch
1924McInnes, William BeckwithMiss Collins
1923McInnes, William BeckwithPortrait of a Lady
1922McInnes, William BeckwithProfessor Harrison Moore
1921McInnes, William BeckwithDesbrowe Annear

Controversy, Scandals and Debate

Ever since the Archibald Prize awarded its first prize it has been highly sought by artists, for the money it possessed, the exposure it gave and the chance to have your work exhibited in a major gallery. The first decade the Archibald saw a lot of academic and tonal realism. In response to this artists began to modify their styles to suit that of the Archibald Prize winning trend.
In 1946 for the first time the Trustees insisted on a pre-selection, where more than half the entries were eliminated.
The first sign of disapproval was when William Dargie won his seventh Archibald with Mr Essignton Lewis, CH in 1952. Art students feed up the predictability of his work decided to demonstrate their feelings.
In the first two decades a few people broke away from the crowd of the sitter. an example of this is Henry Hanks Self portrait in which he criticised as not being distinguished as he portrayed himself in representation of an unemployed painter, tattily dressed.
It was William Dobell's winning portrait of Joshia Smith that really rocked the boat, in 1943. This portrait was the one that finally broke the idea established with the Archibald. The reaction to him winning was so extreme that a fellow competitor took legal action against Dobell and the Trustees, with the case that Joshua Smith was 'a distorted and caricatured form' meaning it wasn't a portrait. Though not everyone agreed, Dobell's supporters described that the portrait was a 'work of art and a likeliness or resemblance of the sitter.' Dobell responded to the critics with a statement about how he was trying to create something, instead of copying something.
Along with the case came a lot of press coverage and public comment. In the end the case turned into a lively debate about Modernism. the verdict of Justice Roper upheld Dobell's award stating that 'although characterised by some startling exaggeration and distortion.........nevertheless bore a strong degree of likeness to the subject and undoubtedly was a pictorial representation of him.'
In the 1960's Archibald artists were dealing with the demands of modernism, particularly abstract art. The artists had no concern with naturalism or realism.
 A debate was always brewing with the Archibald Prize. another controversy appeared when Brett Whiteley won with his painting Self portrait in the studio, in 1976. The portrait marked a turning point for the the award. The self portrait part of the painting is just the artists face reflected in a hand mirror, with the blue ocean that is his studio surrounding it.
If a portrait was proven to be drawn from a photograph the portrait is disqualified this happened to John Bloomfield with his portrait Tim Burstall, in 1975, though this wasn't the only time
The Archibald has had its fair share of controversies, scandals and debates, but there are still many more to come. The prize is intertwined with the these problems, its just the way it works.


The Debate

 The Archibald Prize should reward artists who paint in a realist way

Stanislaus Rapotec By Judy Cassab

I don’t think there is a right or a wrong way for the style of the Archibald prize. Isn’t art about expressing yourself? And that can be done in many ways. Yes, the Archibald Prize traditionally was to be painted in a realistic style but that was then, and this is now.  Modern art movements have been created and now realism isn’t the only portraiture style out there. I understand holding on to traditions but those traditions are slipping away. Sometimes you have to let go of the past.  Artists each year have tried to push the judging panel out of their comfort zone, giving them something new and unique and sometimes the judges have fallen for it. I don’t think the Archibald Prize should be limited to just realism. In my eyes all entry styles should be taken and considered with no favouring of any sort.

In the past the audience was strictly formal and so the painting was to be of a formal standard. Nowaday’s people are interested in something different as they have already seen that side of portraiture and are bored with it, though they still don’t want to let it go. The times have changed in the way of art styles and techniques. Now it is common for portraits to be not a realistic picture of the person but more of their personality. There have been a number of scandals with the Archibald Prize. The younger generations see the formal sit down as boring and are holding out for something new and exciting, though the older generations are all for keeping the traditions alive. I think they should just keep peace and allow all styles and let the best painting win.
Self portrait with Kell and Arella By Del Kathryn Barton

The Archibald prize is about showing off Australian artistic talent and some of that talent is intertwined with abstract. Though I don’t think the paintings should be so abstract that you can’t tell the subject's identity. I still think the painting should have a realistic quality, but I don’t think it has to be the classic formal sit down image either.  Judy Cassab’s painting Stanislaus Rapotec (see image in top left corner) shows a nice blend between the two, as does Del Kathryn Barton’s self portrait...(see image to right). The Archibald Prize should be a mixture of realism and abstract. As if you stir together realism and abstract and place it in the oven, what will emerge from that oven will be a beautiful cake. The delicious cake could be the Archibald Prize. That should be the aim, the most amazing cake, and you can’t make a cake with only half the mixture.

Portraiture

H. Desbrowe Annear By W.B. McInnes


Pliny, the Roman writer, said portraiture all started with tracing a human shadow, to keep the features of that person alive. In modern day times portraiture is done for many reasons; tribute, record, remembrance or a token of gratitude. That is not the only thing that has changed about portraiture, portraiture isn't just an outline anymore it now shows everything about a person, internal and external. Over time the outline has been filled in.

Portraiture has changed since the Archibald Prize was a fresh little seedling. Back then portraiture had a whole different definition,  portraiture was realistic and formal. Using the first portrait to win the Archibald Prize (see image to the right) as an example, you can see it is very formal and has a strict realistic approach. Realism is still around though not as formal as it used to be and there are modern movements of art as well. The winner of this years Archibald (see image below) shows the significant difference in styles in the last 90 years. Though the portraiture from this year still looks like the sitter it is still abstract, as the artist has used a range of colours to represent her personality. Abstract has taken away some of realism's glory. The definition of portraiture has changed, but the fully traditional style of portraiture has not yet been be wiped.

Margaret Olley By Ben Quilty
New movements of art have challenged the traditional portraiture style. While a painting so realistic it looks like a photo still amazes people, it isn't the only thing that does. People have warmed to abstract as it is something different and exciting and next to it Realism looks old. But they still want to keep realism in their grip. With these modern movements artists have enlarged the interpretation of portraiture. They have done this through many things such as distorting the face, exaggerating the features, enhancing the colours or emphasising the character or temper of the sitter.
In painting a portrait the artist must create a likeness of the sitter as well as making the painting well composed or formal. A portrait can capture two things the essence of the person or a realistic image of them, these two ideas show the difference in the last century. The character of the person can be captured by line, colour, tone or fragmented forms. This day and age we are less sympathetic to the traditional aims of portraiture, which makes it astonishing that it has survived these times as well as it has.

Saturday 16 April 2011

(The Archibald Prize is) of the people, by the people, for the people.
Edmund Capon, Director AGNSW, 2004