By Marcus Uhe
Bunjil Place Gallery has opened its doors to art lovers for the prestigious and popular Archibald Prize, with 52 portraits on display of featuring figures and cultural identities from all walks of life.
Now in its 101st year, the Archibald Prize is recognised as Australia’s favourite and most significant art award with more than 800 portraits judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales in the long-running prize established in 1921.
The display at Bunjil Place Gallery will feature 2022 Archibald Prize winner Blak Douglas with his portrait of Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens, titled ‘Moby Dickens’, along with Packing Room Prize winner Claus Stangl with his portrait of director, writer, actor and producer Taika Waititi.
Mr Blak’s portrait of Ms Dickens, who he described as a ‘tidda’ (Indigenous term for sister) to him on the back of a long-term friendship, depicts her in the flood waters that ravaged her home town of Lismore in Northern New South Wales earlier this year.
“She’s one of the pre-eminent female first-nations artists today,” Mr Blak said.
“We have known each other for a long time. I admire her work as much as she admires mine.
“She lives in northern part of Lismore on top of a hill. While she was safe from the immediate effect, she watched all the waters rise around her.”
The piece, which took seven days for the artist to create, is a broader critique on what he believed to be a failure of the Federal Government in response to climate change catastrophes.
The ‘layered’ design allows Ms Dickens to “pop” off the canvas, Mr Blak said, with her striking, angry facial expression catching the eye of the viewer.
“I had this three-by-two metre canvas, which is the absolute extremities on the criteria acceptable for the Archibald,” Mr Blak said.
“What that enabled me to achieve was the effect of the flood waters. That’s two metres of water on this canvas, so it’s a good way of representing the 16 metres of water that affected the area.”
The 2022 crown is Mr Blak’s first victory in the Archibald competition from his fifth submission.
The Indigenous self-taught artist begun producing work in Western Sydney in the late ‘90s, with many pieces underscored by political commentary.
“I was planning on taking a leisurely walk around Centennial Park in Sydney, which was where the image was taken, and I nearly crashed the car into the tree when I got the phone call,” Mr Blak said upon learning of his victory.
“As I’ve been colloquially stating, I walk taller, and those who never paid me the time of day now have to look up to me.”
As the first stop on the Archibald Prize 2022 regional tour and the only Victorian location, the Bunjil Place Gallery will host the popular prize from Saturday 3 September to Sunday 16 October.
The City of Casey said the exclusive Victorian event is expected to bring tens of thousands of visitors to Narre Warren and surrounds to enjoy the works on display and the immersive program of events and art experiences in the outdoor plaza space.
Programs include guided tours of the exhibition, evening and weekend Archie Bites and Beats, young Archie exhibition and Making Hub, tours in many languages including Auslan, school holiday art-making workshops and more.
City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff PSM encouraged aesthetes to make the trip to Bunjil and take-in the exhibit for themselves.
“The Archibald Prize is one of the most prestigious arts awards in Australia and to have these works on display at Bunjil Place highlights our strength as a world-class gallery and entertainment precinct to draw art lovers to this region,” Ms Duff said.
“If you love art, this is your chance to experience portraits by some of Australia’s favourite and well-respected artists on the walls here at Bunjil Place Gallery.
“The Archibald Prize is always a snapshot of the Australian people, and this year brings together self-portraits that provide a glimpse of the artists’ internal worlds alongside those that celebrate leading figures who are making this country a better and more equitable place to be.”
Bunjil Place Gallery director Georgia Cribb described the opportunity to host the exhibit as “an honour”.
“It’s hard to have a standout (portrait) because everytime I come in, I discover something new that I might not have seen otherwise,” Ms Cribb said.
“Each of the works, you can’t get the detail from reproductions. It’s just something you have to experience in-person.”
The Archibald Prize 2022 will be on display at Bunjil Place Gallery, 2 Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren from 3 September to 16 October.
Tickets are available now at bunjilplace.com.au
