Overview
Only 12 women have won the Archibald Prize, Australia's coveted award for portraiture, in the accolade's 103-year history. Laura Jones is now one of them. For the second year running, a female artist has taken out the prestigious gong, with four-time finalist Jones receiving the prize for her likeness of Australian author Tim Winton. She was inspired to commit his image to canvas after meeting him at an environmental advocacy event, then taking part in a 2016 artist residency that focused on studying the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef.
Even with artists winning the award twice, this is still just the 14th time that a woman has taken home the accolade — an honour that the Greater Western Sydney-based Jones has called "a life-changing moment".
"There is an array of brilliant finalists for the 2024 Archibald Prize. I am shocked and humbled to be chosen as the winner," said the artist, who paints, draws, sculpts and makes prints with a focus on the connection between humans and the environment, in a statement announcing the winner of this year's award.
"I would like to thank my sitter, Tim Winton. Tim is one of the world's greatest novelists and also a tireless advocate for the environment. He is an inspiration to me as both an artist and as a human being."
Winner Archibald Prize 2024, Laura Jones 'Tim Winton', oil on linen, 198 x 152.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Tim Winton.
As unveiled on Friday, June 7, 2024, Jones emerged victorious from a 2024 lineup of 57 finalists for the Archibald Prize, which was whittled down from 1005 entries. One such fellow contender: Matt Adnate's Rhythms of heritage, a portrait of Baker Boy that received this year's Packing Room Prize on Thursday, May 30.
Other works in the running included Caroline Zilinsky's portrait of Saltburn and Priscilla's Jacob Elordi, Mia Boe's of Tony Armstrong, Jessie Bourke's of Heartbreak High star Chloé Hayden, Paul de Zubicaray's of Jaguar Jonze and Angus McDonald's likeness of Professor Marcia Langton. Also on the list: Drew Bickford's portrait of Hello Dankness filmmakers Dan and Dominique Angeloro, aka Soda Jerk; Camellia Morris' of Anthony Field from The Wiggles; Tim Owers' of Matildas player Cortnee Vine; and Nick Stathopoulos' of film critic David Stratton.
Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.
Jones' $100,000-winning piece came about after she contacted the Perth-based writer with 30 books to his name — Breath, Dirt Music, Cloudstreet, The Turning and Blueback included — and showed him her work.
"I wrote Tim a letter and sent him a book of my reef paintings, and we seemed to really connect on our interest in climate activism. I was amazed by the humility of this great novelist, who has enchanted generations of Australian readers," explained Jones.
"Last year, I watched his ABC documentary Ningaloo Nyinggulu, about the fight to save Ningaloo Reef. It was beautiful and terrifying... I was stunned to discover a portrait of Tim had never been a finalist in the Archibald Prize."
Winner Wynne Prize 2024, Djakaŋu Yunupiŋu 'Nyalala gurmilili', natural pigments on bark, 263 x 154 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.
AGNSW pairs the Archibald Prize with two other awards: the similarly coveted Wynne and Sulman prizes. The Wynne received 738 entries in 2024, with 41 named as finalists, while the Sulman received 628 entries, naming 40 as final contenders.
2024's $50,000 Wynne Prize, which recognises the best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture, has been awarded to Yolŋu elder and artist Djakaŋu Yunupiŋu, who hails from Yirrkala in the Northern Territory. The first-time finalists's bark painting Nyalala gurmilili earned her the award. Depicting the miwatj or "sunrise side" in Yolŋu Matha, it's one of the largest bark paintings ever made.
The $40,000 Sir John Sulman Prize is presented to the best mural, subject or genre painting, with Naomi Kantjuriny, an Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) community elder, doing the honours in 2024. Her winning piece: Minyma mamu tjuta, in which mamu — aka spirits both good and bad — feature. Also a first-time finalist for the award, she's also the third Indigenous Australian artist to win the Sulman.
Winner Sulman Prize 2024, Naomi Kantjuriny 'Minyma mamu tjuta', synthetic polymer paint on linen, 197 x 153.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.
If you'd like to see all of the above, plus the rest of 2024's finalists across the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes, they'll all be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney from Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024. Don't agree with the judges? You can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Thursday, August 8.
Jones' win adds to a diverse recent history for the Archibald. In 2020, Vincent Namatjira's portrait of Adam Goodes did the honours, and also marked the first time the award has gone to an Indigenous artist. In 2021, Peter Wegner's portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren nabbed the gong. In 2022, it was Blak Douglas' portrait of artist Karla Dickens in the Lismore floods that came out on top, while 2023's accolade went to Julia Gutman for a portrait of Montaigne.
Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.
Archibald Prize 2024 Dates:
Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024 — Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW
Friday, September 20–Sunday, November 17, 2024 — Orange Regional Gallery
Saturday, November 30, 2024–Sunday, January 26, 2025 — Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery
Friday, February 7–Sunday, April 6, 2025 — Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
Thursday, April 24–Sunday, June 15, 2025 — Araluen Arts Centre, Northern Territory
Friday, July 4–Sunday, August 31, 2025 — Lismore Regional Gallery
Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.
Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.
2024's Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prize-winners will display at various locations around the country from Saturday, June 8, 2024. If you can't make it to any of the above exhibition dates, you can check out the winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website.
Top image: excerpt of the winner Archibald Prize 2024, Laura Jones 'Tim Winton', oil on linen, 198 x 152.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Tim Winton.