Archibald 2025

Being in Geelong on other matters, we were lucky to catch the Archibald Prize exhibition on its last day. Here are just some of the portraits on display. This is Finger painting of William Barton by Loribelle Spirovski. I like the exuberance of the sitter, and the title which captures Barton’s inventiveness on his instrument. I love his music.

This is Wendy in the gallery by Lucilla Zentner. It’s quite small but I like the details and the colours. It’s of the artist Wendy Sharpe working in her studio.

This is King Dingo by Vincent Namatjiro. A representation of Aboriginal strength, pride and resilience. Thought provoking.

And here are some more traditional portraits which I liked. The green man by Evan Shipard. I like this because Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis is looking serious! I wish he presented his show like this.

This very small painting is Cressida Campbell by Natasha Bieneck. I’ve recently seen some of Cressida’s work in the NGA and I like it. I didn’t know she’s had lots of health issues that were outlined on the accompanying note – not that I think they’re relevant to the portrait.

I like the colours and angles on Diana through threads by Madelaine Kelly. The sitter, Diana Wood Conroy is a textile artist, painter and an emeritis professor of Visual arts. She, and the painter share a love of geometry, colour, shape and pattern. Perfectly captured I’d say.

Thom Roberts by Daniel Kim is a straightforward, no nonsense portrait.For which I commend it.

Whereas Meditation on time (a left-handed self-portrait) by Tsering Hannaford has an ethereal quality. She suffered a tendon injury in her right, dominant hand leaving her with chronic pain (I’m not sure for how long). Painting this, she was grappling with emotions of loss, moving through denial, depression and finally acceptance.

I won’t wish, I will, by Yolande Gray. The sitter is a ceramic artist from WA, Pippin Drysdale and it was she who suggested the title.

Another conservative portrait of well-known former footballer and coach and now campaigner for research into MND, Neale Daniher. I like the painting by Linda Gold and the title Still standing and fighting.

There were plenty of portraits telling stories. Like Blood, sweat and tears by Luke Cornish and Christopher Domergue. Blending two things photorealistic stencil work byCornish and an innovative peeling process by Domergue. The subject is Yvonne Weldon the first Indigenous councillor elected to the City of Sydney. The painting incorporates a picture of her at eight standing with her land rights activist uncle, Paul Cox at a demonstration by Redfern residents.

Rona and Pig at Palm Valley by Billy Bain. Rona is an artist and a potter from Hermannsburg. Her dog is called Pig. I love the landscape, the figures, the colours and the frame.

Of which this is a detail. It’s made of recycled Oregon timber fitted with 68 ceramic icons paying homage to Rona and her ceramic practice.

I’m a little fish in New York (ripplesof ambition) by Peter Ke Heng Chen is a portrait of the painter’s son, comedian Aaron Chen. I’ve not heard of him but I like the ideas about fame and ambition depicted in the picture.

I like colourful portraits. Like The yellow Odelisque of Brunswick by Natasha Walsh. Atong Atem is a South Sudanese photographer based in Melbourne. The painting references Matisse’s Yellow odalesque.

And Banquet (Rainbow Chan) by Whitney Duan. The subject here is an artist and musician. A child of Hong Kong migrants she navigated pressures to pursue the non-creative career path encouraged by many migrant parents…the banquet table becomes a stage for these tensions.

The story being told by this painting is in the title, older hugo from the future fighting hugo right now in a swamp and all the frogs and insects and fish and flowers look on. By Jason Phu. The image is a quite identifiable Hugo Weaving. I’m not sire which is the now Hugo and which the future Hugo, but it’s fun.

This painting brightened the whole room in which it was hung. Bridget in my painting by Angela Brennan. The sitter is an award winning Indigenous journalist on the ABC where she often wore a yellow pantsuit. She’s also the painter’s niece. I love the colours.

I love the colour in Shan is a little mermaid by Catherine McGuiness. Shan Turner-Carroll is a queer Australian artist of Burmese descent.

Another that I liked because of the colour – that burnt orange background. You are only as good as your last painting by Richard Lewer. He’s stepped back to look at his self-portrait, glasses off, contemplative.

More colour. Katie Noonan by Jessica Ashton.

I liked this one because of the almost absence of colour. I like the contrast. Adrian Jangala Robertson (paintbrush and hat) by Clara Adolphs. The subject is a Walperi man from the Western Desert region. I like his posture and direct gaze.

I had to include this one because I love his films, Warwick Thornton by the aforementioned Adrian Jangala Robertson. I’m not sure about how this wonderful director is depicted here.

I group these portraits as celebrity subjects. Felix Cameron by Jeremy Eden. I think it captures this young actor’s (Boy Swallows Universe) unguarded youth andenthusiasm.

Two more paintings of celebrities, the first because I think Nicole Kidman is a wonderful actor and force for good in the movie industry. But the painting, Sisters by Jaq Grantford, is a bit too polished or glossy for me. Looks a bit like a publicity still for a movie although it’s a tribute to their mother whose dying wish was to have this portrait painted.

And this is Let Loose by Sally Ryanwhich also looks like a publicity shot, perhaps a tourist promotion for Australia. Which sort of suits the subject, Kathy Lette!

Finally here – for completeness – is the winner of the Archibald Prize, Flagship Mother Multiverse by Julie Fragar. Joe’s in the foreground in contemplation. I didn’t like it much at all.

So there you have it; a few of the finalists in the 2025 Archibald. Art purists might scorn the competition but I like the annual travelling exhibition.