Why being an Archibald finalist can mean a lot more than fame
By Helen Pitt
When the 57 finalists in this year’s Archibald Prize are announced on Thursday, the burning question for many – aside from does the sitter like the painting – is what will this do for my career?
For Vincent Namatjira, his 2020 win brought national exhibitions, though not everyone’s been happy with them - Gina Rinehart has unsuccessfully campaigned to have her portrait removed from the National Gallery of Australia.
Former finalists from Studio A, Meagan Pelham, Emily Crockford, and Daniel Kim deliver their 2024 entries to the Art Gallery of NSW. With works by other Studio A artists in the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes.Credit: Janie Barrett
Last year’s winner, Julia Gutman, has just lit up the Sydney Opera House sails for this year’s Vivid festival, with Lighting of the Sails: Echo, and 2022 winner Blak Douglas is the subject of a new documentary, Blak Douglas vs the Commonwealth, coming out in July.
But for those from Studio A, a social enterprise that works with artists with intellectual disabilities, finalist status has brought something more fundamental: legitimacy.
In the past four years, Studio A has had 11 finalists in the nation’s best-known portrait prize and two in the Sulman Prize for subject and genre painting.
“What recognition in the Archibald Prize really brings Studio A artists is legitimacy as ‘artists’,” the studio’s chief executive and artistic director, Gabrielle Mordy, said.
Studio A artist Meagan Pelham, as guest curator at the Sydney Biennale.Credit: Jacquie Manning
“Despite our consistent communication that we are a visual art studio, we are constantly assumed to be a recreational art therapy program. It seems the words ‘artist with disability’ equate to art therapy in Australian society. Selection as Archibald finalists has really broken through this entrenched and limiting stereotype.”
Studio A artist Meagan Pelham’s portrait of Anna Plunkett, founder of the Australian fashion label Romance Was Born, was chosen as a finalist in 2022, and the fashion house has collaborated on a line of embroidered dresses and handbags based on Pelham’s designs.
Crowds at the Biennale line up to visit Studio A artist Meagan Pelham’s love booth at White Bay.Credit: Jacquie Manning
Three-time Archibald finalist Emily Crockford’s work, A Possum is Watching, now graces Hurlstone Park’s new metro station, a major commission from Transport for NSW.
The Studio A team, based in Crows Nest in Sydney, also curated the first disability-led family day as part of the Sydney Biennale at White Bay this year, with participatory artworks and performances by Pelham and fellow Archibald finalist Catherine McGuiness, who last year was a finalist with her portrait of restaurateur Kylie Kwong.
McGuiness and fellow Studio A artist Damian Showyin both have their first solo shows at Mosman Art Gallery until the end of July, which were opened this month by fellow artist Ken Done, who was a sitter this year for three-time Archibald finalist and Studio A painter Thom Roberts.
Studio A Archibald 2023 finalist with a small self-portrait Daniel Kim, has this year painted a giant portrait of the Incognito Art Fair co-founders, artists Laura Jones and twin brothers Ed and David Liston. Profits from the art fair, where two out of five Archibald finalists submit an A5 size painting for sale for $100, go to arts organisations like Studio A.
“Daniel sent us a video asking if we would sit for him, and it was humbling – he’s a wonderful guy. It was a huge honour to sit for him for the Archibalds,” David Liston said.
This year, for the first time in its 123-year history, all 57 artists whose paintings are selected to hang in Australia’s best-known portrait prize will receive a monetary reward.
Artists selected as finalists in the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes will receive a $1000 artist fee for inclusion in the exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW, which is the gallery’s most popular annual exhibition.
The new fee will be paid in addition to the existing $300 touring fee for Archibald and Wynne Prize finalists; the $100,000 Archibald winner’s jackpot remains the same.
The new fee addresses artwork display and non-commercial image licensing, in line with recommendations from the National Association for the Visual Arts.
“As custodians of some of Australia’s highest profile and most beloved art prizes, we recognise the role prizes play in expanding opportunities for artists at all stages of their careers, and the new fee is part of our ongoing commitment to support the artist community in a concrete manner,” an Art Gallery of NSW spokesperson said.
The finalists and the Packing Room Prize will be announced Thursday. The winner will be announced June 7, and the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes open June 8.