The 2018 Archibald Prize finalist portraits have left the Art Gallery of New South Wales and are now showing at the
Geelong Art Gallery from September 22nd until November 18, 2018. The Geelong Art Gallery is the only Victorian venue to show this annual collection of portraits.
The Archibald Prize Exhibition has become more and more popular each year and showcases the extraordinary talent of Australian artists and the stories of people portrayed by them. There are the winners, of course, but there is much more to this exhibition
Beyond the wonderful artwork of well-known people in the arts, media and politics, there are also portraits of lesser-known people. These may be people we have read about in the news or people who have made some contribution to society and their communities. Many of the portraits are also self-portraits.
What is fascinating about all the people portrayed are their stories. There are stories of hardship, personal tragedies and successes, stories of family, being on the outside, refugees, indigenous life and many more. It is these stories that bring the portraits truly to life. The stories very successfully represent a microcosm of the world we live in, with all its trials and tribulations, humour and challenges.
And how lucky are Victorians to now be able to see them in Geelong for a couple of months! They are really worth the trip if coming from elsewhere. There are special kids' tours of the Archibalds (or Archies as they are sometimes known), a pop-up cafe and a number of conversations centred around these portraits and their artists, as well as other artists. You can check out all the events
here.