Each year, the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes are awarded for portrait, landscape or figure painting, and genre painting respectively. All three prizes have only once been won by a single person – Brett Whiteley in 1978.
Since 1921, the Archibald prize has tracked the who’s who of Australian culture, from politicians, to celebrities, sporting heroes and artists. It follows a tradition first begun by the Bulletin’s editor Jules François Archibald, who commissioned John Longstaff to paint a portrait of poet Henry Lawson in 1900.
Like the Archibald, the Wynne is judged by a panel of gallery trustees who must select the top landscape painting or figure sculpture by an Australian artist. In 2010, a scandal rocked the prize when it was revealed that Sam Leach’s prize-winning work heavily referenced a work by a 17th century Dutch artist – to the point of plagiarism according to some academics.
The Sulman prize, bequeathed by Australian architect John Sulman, is given to the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project in oil, watercolour or mixed media. Each year a single artist is appointed to judge the prize.
Type of Event: Art and design
Venue: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery Rd
Sydney NSW 2000
Date: from 16 July to 9 October 2016
Price: To be confirmed
Website: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Telephone: (02) 9225 1700
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