Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 are all on display at the Art Gallery of NSW 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.

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.

Images: Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.