Laura Jones Wins Australia’s $100,000 Archibald Prize 2024
Jones' portrait depicts writer Tim Winton, whose 1995 novel The Riders was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction.
Laura Jones, Tim Winton. Oil on linen. 198 x 152.5 cm. © the artist. Courtesy © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) today announced the winner of the Archibald Prize, Australia's leading prize for portraiture.
In its 104th year, Laura Jones became the 12th woman to win the prize.
'This is such an incredible thrill,' she said, adding that she hoped girls would be inspired by her win to become artists.
Jones was one of 57 finalists shortlisted from 1,005 entries.
Her painting depicts Perth-based writer Tim Winton, whom she described as 'incredible and inspiring'.
She said she met Winton while they were advocating for the protection of the Great Barrier Reef.
'I have to admit that I'm a very reluctant sitter, but I had seen Laura's paintings of the Great Barrier Reef coral gardens, including her beautiful and tragic depictions of coral bleaching, so I was a little more curious and open than usual,' Winton said.
In addition to the Archibald Prize, the AGNSW also announced the winners of the AU $50,000 Wynne Prize for landscape painting, and the AU $40,000 Sulman Prize for genre painting or mural projects.
The Wynne Prize went to Djakaŋu Yunupiŋu for her pigment on bark painting Nyalala gurmilili.
The work depicts the miwatj, or 'sunrise side' in the language of Yolŋu Matha spoken in Australia's Northern Territories.
'I am one of seven sisters,' Yunupiŋu said. 'There are only three of us left now. The songs of this painting were given to me by our father, Muŋgurrawuy. It shows the songs of the seven sisters in the stars crying. Now I am crying. But this time with happiness.'
Naomi Kantjuriny won the Sulman Prize for her synthetic polymer paint on linen painting Minyma mamu tjuta.
The painting depicts mamu, spirits with different forms and powers.
'Mamu are good and bad spirits, sometimes they hold scary stories that teach lessons to the grandkids, sometimes they are funny and joyful stories that make us all laugh,' said Kantjuriny.
'Mamu also protect us from illness and danger. Our culture is in everything we do, and I hope culture will be celebrated at Tjala Arts forever, but today is a happy day,' she said.
Works by finalists in all three prizes will be exhibited at AGNSW from 8 June to 8 September 2024.
On 30 May, the AGNSW announced the winner of this year's Packing Room Prize, selected by those who unpack and hang the entries.
It went to Matt Adnate for his painting of Indigenous Australian rapper Baker Boy, titled Rhythms of heritage. —[O]
