/ 28 May 2021

Archibald’s centenary kicks off with the Packing Room Prize

Sydney artist Kathrin Longhurst’s portrait of Aussie singer Kate Ceberano is the Archibald Prize’s Packing Room pick. It’s the 2nd time Longhurst has been an Archibald finalist – one of Australia’s longest-running and richest art prizes. For the first time in its 100-year history, there’s not only gender parity among the Archibald Prize finalists but more works by women across the 3 prizes, including the Sulman (subject/genre) and Wynne (landscape). Ten female painters have won the prize since 1921, and 17 winners have featured women as the portrait subject. Ceberano said the artist had given her “dignity and power without words”. It’s the 3rd time a portrait of Ceberano has entered the prize and the 2nd time a painting of her won the $3,000 Packing Room Prize – the first when her friend Peter Robertson painted her nude in 1994. Head packer Brett Cuthbertson is a Ceberano fan and said, “as soon as I saw it, I knew it was the one.” The $100,000 Archibald Prize will be announced on June 4.

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