Artists Race Against Time for Prestigious Art Prizes
As the clock ticked towards 3:45pm, the final entry day for this year’s Archibald, Sulman, and Wynne Prizes, a sense of urgency hung in the air at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Two packing room assistants stood sentinel at the steel roller door, their eyes scanning the nearly empty car park for any last-minute arrivals. The deadline loomed, a stark reminder that for many artists, the journey from studio to gallery is often a frantic dash against time.
By the close of entries, over 570 artworks had flooded into the gallery. While the Archibald Prize remains the most celebrated, the Sulman and Wynne Prizes also attract significant attention. However, a familiar pattern emerges each year: a handful of artists invariably leave their submissions until the eleventh hour. Whether it’s underestimating the logistical challenges of preparing a canvas for public display, the complexities of packing and transporting artwork during Friday afternoon peak hour, or simply a string of unforeseen misadventures, these artists find themselves battling the clock.
One such artist, Matthew Cook, a first-time entrant in the Wynne Prize, embarked on his journey from Murwillumbah on the NSW Far North Coast at a bleary-eyed 2am. Arriving sleep-deprived with over an hour to spare, his relief was short-lived. He discovered that the strong winds prevalent that day had wreaked havoc on his monumental landscape of the Warrumbungles, lifting and damaging the canvas during the eight-hour drive. “I haven’t slept really, and I got here and the wind’s been so strong today that it’s blown under the canvas, and it has lifted,” Cook explained, a hint of exasperation in his voice. “I made a good job of making it perfect, and now I have to undo it.” With his artwork resting on the car roof racks, he meticulously removed the staples, only to re-secure them in the packing docks, leaning against a trolley designated for storage and judging.
The drama continued even after the official closing time. Three artists had pre-emptively contacted the packing room staff to inform them of their impending late arrivals. Cook was still at work, wrestling with staples, when the docks officially shut at 4:37pm. Moments later, artist Alice Xu managed to extricate her entry from the back seat of an Uber, her driver capturing a photo of the passenger and her artwork, perhaps in anticipation of it gracing the gallery walls. For Cook, the day was far from over; he intended to turn his vehicle around and brave the returning rain for the long drive back to Murwillumbah, unsure of where he would find rest for the night.
Earlier in the day, ceramicist Casey Chen, who had previously been a finalist in the Wynne Prize, sat cross-legged on a wooden pallet on the dock floor. He cradled a plum-coloured vase, still warm from the kiln, as he applied the final touches. The delicate process involved carefully applying glue to the base to affix gold leaf. “It’s funny. I really worked my butt off to avoid being stuck in this predicament again,” Chen admitted, a wry smile playing on his lips. “It just takes longer than I always estimate.”
Alexis Wildman, the gallery’s senior installation technician, noted a discernible shift in the types of entries received. “We’ve seen a noticeable increase in the number of sculptures entered in the Wynne Prize and mixed media in all three prizes,” she observed. “We’ve seen a lot of politicians, drag queens, TV personalities or influencers, and plenty of nudes, which is always fun.”
The calibre of artists and their subjects this year is as compelling as ever. Camellia Morris, who achieved finalist status in the Archibald in 2024 for her portrait of Anthony Field of the Blue Wiggles, returned this year with a striking four-panel portrait featuring Greg Page and Murray Cook, the Yellow and Red Wiggles. Studio A, an organisation dedicated to empowering artists with disabilities, submitted an impressive seven entries, including five for the Archibald, after patiently waiting for Meagan Pelham to finalise her portrait of journalist and television presenter Jessica Rowe.
Among the notable subjects gracing this year’s entries is Ahmed al Ahmed, the courageous individual who disarmed one of the perpetrators during the recent terror attack in Bondi. Sydney artist Julia Dover captured his likeness for her submission. Hayden Bone’s portrait of his brother, Cameron McEvoy, officially recognised as the fastest swimmer in history over 50 metres, offered a poignant narrative. “Cameron’s journey back to Olympic gold wasn’t just about speed in the water; it was reinvention, discipline, and a relentless pursuit,” Bone shared on social media. “A privilege to translate that journey onto canvas.”
Jaq Grantford, following up on her impactful 2023 portrait of sisters Antonia and Nicole Kidman, presented a new painting of acclaimed composer Elena Kats-Chernin. Emergency doctor Mohammed Mustafa, who undertook two missions to Gaza hospitals during the recent conflict, sat for artist Luke Cornish. Caroline Zilinsky’s canvas features Nicky and Simone Zimmermann, the visionary founders of the renowned Zimmermann fashion label. Meanwhile, five-time Archibald finalist Nick Stathopoulos has painted Margaret Fink, the legendary film producer now in her nineties. Stathopoulos’s previous work, a portrait of Sudanese refugee lawyer Deng Adut, garnered the People’s Choice award in 2016, highlighting his ability to capture compelling figures.
The anticipation is building, with the finalists for this year’s prestigious prizes set to be announced on April 30th. The ultimate winners will be revealed on May 8th, culminating a period of intense artistic endeavour and public speculation.
