First-time Archibald Prize finalist Anne Middleton has taken out this year's people's choice award for her portrait of Australian actor Guy Pearce.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Middleton's detailed painting of Pearce - one of the largest entries this year at more than 3.6sq m - was named the winner in Sydney on Wednesday.
Pearce had visited Middleton's Melbourne studio on weekends between filming to sit for the portrait.
The artist wanted to capture the 50-year-old's complexities and subtleties.
"This extreme tonality enabled me to explore the chameleon nature of Guy Pearce - a profound personal awareness of the light and dark that makes him both an extraordinary actor and a kind, funny and unassuming bloke," Middleton said in a statement.
Art Gallery of New South Wales director Michael Brand described the depiction of Pearce as "uncompromising and compelling".
Middleton's $3500 win comes three months after fellow Melburnian Yvette Coppersmith's self-portrait was awarded the 97th Archibald Prize.
Her work was inspired by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and netted the artist a $100,000 prize.
Coppersmith became the 10th woman to win the country's most coveted art accolade.
The Wynne Prize of $50,000 for best landscape painting or figure sculpture went to WA indigenous Australian artist Yukultji Napangati, and the Sulman Prize of $40,000 for the best genre painting, subject painting or mural project, was awarded to indigenous Australian artist Kaylene Whiskey.
Australian Associated Press
