WINNING ARTWORK: Tim Storrier, The Member, Dr Sir Leslie Colin Patterson KCB AO, 183 x 91.5 cm, acrylic on canvas.
Prolific artist and 2012 Archibald winner, Tim Storrier, has taken out the infamous Packing Room Prize for his comical portrayal of Barry Humphries’s alter ego, Sir Leslie Colin Patterson. Chosen for its accurate resemblance and crude, satirical charm, the piece impressively captures the essence and personality of the rambunctious fictional character. The modest prize, while not quite the Archibald, remains an important tradition at the Art Gallery of NSW, chosen by the gallery staff that unpack and display the pieces. Storrier attributes the prize’s popularity to its democratic nature, being a prize judged by the proletarian.
Head storeman, Steve Peters, is the prize’s veteran and holds 51% of the vote, but claims that there was little debate in the case of The Member, Dr Sir Leslie Colin Patterson KCB AO. The portrait’s likeness to its fictitious subject, and Storrier’s unyielding commitment to the associated narrative, is what ultimately swayed the judges. Storrier humorously carried this narrative throughout his artist statement and acceptance speech, citing some of the ‘technical difficulties’ he encountered in his sittings with Sir Les, having had to readjust the lights when his attractive assistant entered the room ‘so his enthusiasm in her presence was not as pronounced.’
Similarly to Storrier’s previous Archibald Prize winner (a faceless, Dali-esque portrait), the painting encapsulates a somewhat surreal aesthetic. His depiction and adaptation of the uncouth, character almost entirely looses the real sitter- Barry Humphries- againsr a smokey, grim backdrop of muck. Despite all of its visceral, structurally impressive elements, the portrait is ultimately vulgar and boorish- just as Storrier intended. Sir Les stands with his clothes outrageously soiled, a bulging midsection protruding over his waistline and a firm grasp on his whisky and charred cigarette.
In accepting the prize, Storrier read a satirical statement from the Australian comedian Barry Humphries, who satirically embodies the coarse character at the subject of his work:
‘I think I can say without vanity that I have been the face of Australian politics and culture for three decades. Other politicos have come and gone and sunken into oblivion. But I have achieved — through my dignity, oratory and charisma — a place of distinction second to none. Thanks to that clever bastard Tim Storrier and his brushwork, generations of Australian art lovers, in particular nubile members of the opposite sex community; will look up to what I have to offer. And with any luck, like the eyes of the Mona Lisa, it will follow them around the room.’
The beauty of the exhibition is that it holds relevance for a wide-reaching audience and is not a show just for the art buffs. The iconic personalities Adam Goods, Nick Cave, Cate Blanchet and Tora Bright all make an appearance in this year’s show, but no two portraits are alike. Perpetuating the fine art of portraiture and painting, the Archibald Prize restricts entrants to the confines of traditional art forms. Despite this, other than their depiction of an iconic personality, every finalist produced a work of intense eccentricity and uniqueness this year.
Chosen from 884 entries, 54 finalists are being displayed- a number that has increased due to a trend in artists submitting smaller paintings and enabling more submissions to go up this year. As with the many before it, the 2014 Archibald has produced a repertoire of works that is both immensely eclectic and aesthetically rich. At one end, artist Sophia Hewson is passionately kissing subject Missy Higgins in an examination of post-feminist self-objectification; at another, artist Peter Daverington personifies his imagination into a vibrant figurative composition.
The winner is to be announced on the 18th of July, a day before the exhibition opens to the public. Photographs do not even begin to illustrate the enormity of this event in terms of both its size and distinction. To truly appreciate and enjoy the conceptual depth and aesthetic finesse of the portraits, I highly recommend that you see them in the flesh.
The Archibald Prize opens the doors to its exquisite collection from the 19th of July, following the winner’s announcement this Friday, to the 28th September. The exhibition is displayed at the Art Gallery of NSW with admission fees at only $12 per adult and $10 per child, which include additional entry to the Wynne and Sulman Prizes. For further information or to book tickets, visit www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au.