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.