Julia Gutman's Portrait of Montaigne Has Just Taken Out the 2023 Archibald Prize

Montaigne has graced stages worldwide. They've represented Australia at Eurovision. They've won ARIAs, too. Now, they're the subject of an Archibald Prize-winning painting, with the singer-songwriter depicted in a piece called Head in the sky, feet on the ground — an artwork that just nabbed Sydney-based artist Julia Gutman Australia's most prestigious portrait prize in 2023.

Gutman's win at the age of 29, scoring the $100,000 award, makes her one of the prize's youngest-ever winners in its 102-year history. And, she's also the 11th woman to win the acclaimed accolade — doing so for her first-ever Archibald Prize entry.

Winner Archibald Prize 2023, Julia Gutman 'Head in the sky, feet on the ground', oil, found textiles and embroidery on canvas, 198 x 213.6 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Montaigne.

"I'm so elated and overwhelmed to have won. Shocked, dumbfounded, but very happy. It's honestly completely surreal. I'm so grateful to be working at a time when young female voices are heard', said Gutman about her win, which was announced at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on Friday, May 5.

"So much of my practice is devoted to revisiting, critiquing and contending with the histories housed in institutions. It's so affirming for that conversation to be recognised in such a public way."

"Montaigne and I have been friends for a few years and there is a lot of alignment in our practices; we are both interested in creating our own forms and approaches rather than strictly adhering to any one tradition. Montaigne's work defies genres, while their mercurial soprano has become an indelible part of the fabric of Australian music," Gutman continued.

Visitors in the 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2023' exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring Archibald Prize 2023 finalists (left to right) Marie Mansfield, Yvette Coppersmith, Kim Leutwyler, Matt Adnate and Angela Brennan, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.

Her subject was just as stoked, unsurprisingly. "It's such an insane honour to be the Archibald Prize-winning sitter. I sure didn't see it coming, not because I don't believe in Julia's incredible talent and warm heart, but because you just never think this stuff is going to happen to you," said Montaigne.

Head in the sky, feet on the ground emerged victorious from a pool of 949 entries and 57 finalists, and in a year that broke a pivotal record: for the first time, more women than men made the final list of contenders for the award.

Other portraits up for the gong included plenty similarly showing famous faces, such as Claudia Karvan, Sam Neill, Archie Roach, Noni Hazlehurst and Daniel Johns.

Winner Wynne Prize 2023, Zaachariaha Fielding 'Inma', acrylic on linen, 306.2 x 198.5 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 726 entries, with 41 named as finalists, while the Sulman received 673 entries, naming 45 as final contenders.

2023's $50,000 Wynne Prize, which recognises the best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture, has been awarded to interdisciplinary artist and first-time finalist Zaachariaha Fielding. His winning work Inma depicts the sounds of Mimili, his community, which is part of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia.

The $40,000 Sir John Sulman Prize is presented to the best mural, subject or genre painting, with Doris Bush Nungarrayi doing the honours in 2023. The Luritja artist was a first-time finalist in both 2023's Sulman and Wynne Prizes, and is now the second Aboriginal artist to win the Sulman. In Mamunya ngalyananyi (Monster coming), she focuses on several Mamus — aka the ominous and malevolent spirits that terrify the Aṉangu people.

Winner Sulman Prize 2023, Doris Bush Nungarrayi 'Mamunya ngalyananyi (Monster coming)', acrylic on linen, 198 x 273.5 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 2023's finalists, they'll all be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney from Saturday, May 6–Sunday, September 3. After that, they'll tour to select venues in NSW and Victoria.

Gutman's Archibald Prize win follows Blak Douglas' portrait of artist Karla Dickens in the Lismore floods in 2022, Peter Wegner's portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren in 2021 and Vincent Namatjira's portrait of Adam Goodes in 2020, as well as Tony Costa's 2019 victory with his painting of fellow artist Lindy Lee and five-time Archibald finalist Yvette Coppersmith's first win in 2018.

And, Head in the sky, feet on the ground is still in the running for another award, as are all of this year's Archibald Prize finalists. If you don't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Wednesday, August 9.

Installation view of the 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2023' exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring Archibald Prize 2023 finalists (left to right) Charles Mouyat, Oliver Shepherd, Paul Newton and David Fenoglio, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.

ARCHIBALD PRIZE 2023 DATES:

Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW — May 6–September 3, 2023
Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Victoria — September 15–November 5, 2023
South East Centre for Contemporary Art, Bega, NSW — November 18, 2023—January 7, 2024
Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, NSW — January 19–March 10, 2024
Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, NSW — March 15–April 28, 2024
Tamworth Regional Gallery, NSW — May 11–June 23, 2024
Glasshouse Port Macquarie, NSW — July 5–August 18, 2024

If you can't make it to any of the above dates, you can check out the award winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website.

Top image: Excerpt of winner Archibald Prize 2023, Julia Gutman 'Head in the sky, feet on the ground', oil, found textiles and embroidery on canvas, 198 x 213.6 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Montaigne.