The Archibald Prize exhibition is now open in Geelong so that the community can explore artworks from across the country, including the winning portrait.
The annual prize highlighting the best in contemporary portraiture that captures prominent faces made its first stop on its regional tour at the Geelong Gallery, which opened on August 30.
Brisbane artist Julie Fragar won this year’s $100,000 prize for her portrait of fellow artist and colleague Justene Williams, titled Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene).
Ms Fragar and Ms Williams visited Geelong Gallery on August 29 for a special preview and told the Independent that seeing the work displayed had been an emotional journey.
“It’s a dream for somebody who’s a people painter to have my work acknowledged in that way and to do it with a friend has been especially special,” Ms Fragar said.
“It’s almost an already-made portrait with Justene, because Justene comes with all these incredible artworks already made, with a really great personality that it’s not hard to harness in a painting.
“It was important for me to show that she’s not really with us but somewhere else and then it was a matter of going back to the studio and putting together the design for the painting.”
Ms Williams said Ms Fragar has created a “beautiful portrait” and that the pair worked together over three months to help bring the work to life.
“The way she’s painted the painting and the inclusion of my work to create this universe or this world for me was pretty special,” she said.
Geelong Gallery director and chief executive Humphrey Clegg said he was glad to have the prize’s 57 finalist works available at the gallery for the community to explore.
“There’s something really compelling about painting and representing people that people just relate to so well,” he said.
“Art takes you on an incredible journey and you don’t have to stop going on that journey, which is phenomenal, and… being in front of that work is an experience of transformation.”
Visit geelonggallery.org.au/archibald-prize-2025 for more information or tickets to the exhibition, which will run until November 9.
