Karen Black, Guido Maestri, Julian Meagher and Vincent Namatjira are Finalists for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize

30 May 2024

A huge congratulations to our artists Karen Black, Guido Maestri, Julian Meagher and Vincent Namatjira for being selected as finalists for the 2024 Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes.

Karen Black has been shortlisted for the Archibald with her portrait of Vivian Vidulich, a fierce champion of contemporary artistic practitioners. She is a three-time Archibald finalist and is also a finalist for the Sulman Prize with her work Both of us that explores how the energies and vibrations between two people sharing common life experiences can create a strong bond and sense of connection.

Five-time Archibald finalist Guido Maestri who won the prize in 2009 with a portrait of Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu has entered a self-portrait to the Archibald this year. The compelling portrait reflects a time of uncertainty in the artist’s life reflected in Maestri’s obscured features.

Julian Meagher, is a five-time Archibald finalist and this year he has entered a portrait of human rights activist and former Socceroo captain Craig Foster AM titled Fozz – 2024’ The striking portrait is the third time Foster has been Meagher’s subject, and is one of many to come as Meagher stated, “This was the year I decided on a new tradition: I’m going to paint Craig Foster every year until one of us dies.”

Vincent Namatjira OAM is a finalist for the Wynne Prize 2024 with his painting of his father-in-law Jimmy, titled Kunmanara (Jimmy) Pompey on Country. This is the first time Namatjira has been a finalist in the Wynne Prize and in 2020, he became the first Indigenous Australian to win the Archibald Prize, with a portrait of Adam Goodes. Namatjira painted Jimmy on Country, paired with his guitar and a wild horse, drawing on Jimmy’s love for music and painting, and the legacy of Namajitra’s great-grandfather Albert Namatjira through his use of landscape watercolour painting.

All winning and finalist works will be shown at the Art Gallery of New South Wales between 8 June – 8 September 2024. Archibald Prize finalist works will then tour to regional New South Wales and the Northern Territory until August 2025, while Wynne Prize finalist works will tour regional New South Wales until June 2025.

The Archibald Prize is awarded annually to the best portrait and was founded in 1921. The Wynne Prize is the oldest art prize in Australia, founded in 1897 and is awarded annually to the best landscape painting of Australian scenery in oils or watercolours or for the best example of figure sculpture. The Sulman Prize, founded in 1936 is awarded to the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project by an Australian artist.

The winners will be announced on Friday 7 June, at 12pm.

Image: (Top) Karen Black, Vivian Vidulich, 2024, oil on polyester, 183 x 152.5 cm