Archibald Prize 2025 won by Julie Fragar for portrait of Justene WilliamsBy Hannah Story and Nicola HeathABC ArtsTopic:Awards and Prizes2h ago2 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:31amJulie Fragar has won the 2025 Archibald Prize for her painting, Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene). (Supplied: AGNSW/Jenni Carter)abc.net.au/news/archibald-prize-winner-2025-julie-fragar-justene-williams/105233630Link copiedShareShare articleJulie Fragar has won the $100,000 Archibald Prize for her portrait of friend and fellow artist Justene Williams, Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene).Fragar — a four-time Archibald finalist — tells ABC Arts it is "incredibly meaningful" to be the 13th woman to win the prize in its 104-year history, especially in the same year that the first woman director — Maud Page — was appointed to lead the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW).What is the Archibald Prize?The Archibald Prize is one of Australia’s longest-running and democratic painting prizesIt was founded in 1921 — making this its 104th yearThe main award, worth $100,000, is for portraiture and is open to artists at any stage of their careerThe primary conditions of entry are that the portrait is a painting, that it is painted from life and that it is made in the 12 months preceding the cut-off dateThere is a preference for sitters who are "distinguished in art, letters, science or politics"Finalists are chosen by the AGNSW’s board of trustees, while the Packing Room Prize is awarded by gallery staff"To have a painting of my close friend [and] to have a new woman at the helm of this incredible institution — everything feels like it came together in a really nice way," Fragar says.Accepting the award at the ceremony at AGNSW, she said she painted Williams — her colleague at Queensland College of Art — not only because she is a good friend, but because she is an extraordinary artist."Justene burst out of the gates from art school in the 1990s around the same time and place as me, from the Sydney College of the Arts," Fragar says."[She] quickly became one of the central figures in the Sydney art scene for her hectic photographs, videos, performances and, later on, installation, sculptures and even operas. I made this painting because I wanted to honour the incredible multiverse of artwork that seems always to be exploding from her."Fragar hopes the portrait captures her friend's "singularity" and "otherworldliness"."While intensely connected to the world around her, [Justene] seems always to be looking just beyond, connecting with the things that are bigger than all of us, whatever that is."This is Fragar's fourth time as a finalist. (Supplied: AGNSW/Jenni Carter)Williams only saw the finished portrait for the first time at the Archibald announcement."I do feel like it catches me, my work … [and] I love that my daughter's in it," she says."Julie's worked so hard and I think she's a brilliant painter … It really was her time."Archies 2025 in numbers:37 per cent of finalists are first-time finalists22 finalists painted other artists; 12 painted self-portraits Two entrants have been finalists 11 times (Natasha Bieniek and Tsering Hannaford)This is the first time there are more finalist works by women artists in Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizesOf 59 people painted, 31 are women and non-binary and 28 are men, 12 are First Nations, and 15 are from CALD backgroundsThe Archibald Prize is judged by the AGNSW's Board of Trustees, including artists Tony Albert and Caroline Rothwell. Fragar's portrait was chosen unanimously earlier today.Fragar was one of 57 finalists, chosen from 904 entries, for this year's prize, held annually at the AGNSW.Other finalists for this year's prize included portraits of 2025 Australian of the Year Neale Daniher, rapper and triple j host Nooky, author Kathy Lette, broadcaster Jackie O, and actor Hugo Weaving.Last week, Abdul Abdullah won the Packing Room Prize for his portrait of fellow artist and Archibald finalist Jason Phu.Jude Rae's Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal has won the Wynne Prize 2025. (Supplied: AGNSW/Jenni Carter)The winner of the $50,000 Wynne Prize for landscape painting or figure sculpture was also announced on Friday: Jude Rae for her painting, Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal. The Sydney-based artist has previously been a finalist in the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes.The winner of the $40,000 Sulman Prize for a genre or subject painting or mural was also announced: Blue Mountains-based young artist Gene A'Hern for his painting Sky Painting. This year's Sulman was judged by artist Elizabeth Pulie.Gene A'Hern's Sky painting has won the Sulman Prize 2025.
(Supplied: AGNSW/Jenni Carter)Artists painting artistsFragar has long wanted to win the Archibald Prize, first becoming a finalist with a self-portrait, (with American artist Chuck Close) 25 years ago. She describes the prize as a "beacon" she's headed towards throughout her career.Loading...That painting, like her Archibald-winning portrait of Williams, was large-scale, at 278x183 centimetres (her 2025 entry is a little smaller, at 240x180.4cm)."I look back at that younger self and I'm a bit surprised that I had the confidence to do [a painting of that size] at that age," she says."I think I had this idea now that I'm in the Archibald Prize [so] everything's going to be smooth sailing, onwards and upwards from here. But life's more complicated than that."If I'd won the Archibald in my 20s, I don't know that I would have really appreciated all of that work that's happened since."The overwhelming trend among the finalists in the Archibald Prize was towards paintings of artists, with 22 paintings of fellow artists and 12 self-portraits, including paintings of Cressida Campbell, Atong Atem and Chris O'Doherty (aka Reg Mombassa).Chris O'Doherty (aka Reg Mombassa)'s self-portrait, 'Self-portrait with nose tube'. (Supplied: AGNSW/Jenni Carter)Across her four entries into the Archibald, Fragar has painted artists three times: Williams, Indigenous artist Richard Bell and her 2000 self-portrait.A self-portrait is "usually an exercise in self-reflection", Fragar says."If you choose a fellow artist who you know very well, there are feelings involved. There's a relationship that happens as the painting gets built that's very satisfying. I think that energy comes out in the work."Beatrice Gralton, curator of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes exhibition, says: "I think artists turn to their own community and each other for humour, for pathos, and there's a trust there."Fragar says some of her most important friendships are with other artists — especially artists who are also teachers, like she and Williams are. At Queensland College of Art, Fragar is head of painting while Williams is head of sculpture.Natasha Bieniek's portrait, 'Cressida Campbell'.
(Supplied: AGNSW/Jenni Carter)In her artist statement, Frager explained the phrase "Flagship Mother" came from a recent endurance performance Williams did in New Zealand."It was about the labour of getting by," she wrote. "For Justene, like many women artists, that means the labour of a day job … of making art to deadlines, and the labour (and love) of being a mother."Fragar tells ABC Arts it's nice to share the prize with another woman who is also both an artist and educator, since so many artists across Australia have second jobs.A recent study from RMIT found 45 per cent of artists also worked in the broader visual arts sector and 36 per cent outside the industry.At the same time, arts education is in crisis, with 40 creative arts courses discontinued in Australian universities between 2018 and 2025."It's challenging for all universities and the arts," Fragar says. "But artists are scrappy, and people who want to teach art are scrappy, and we keep making it happen."The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2025 exhibition runs May 10 to August 17 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.Posted 2h ago2 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:31am, updated 4m ago4 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 4:27amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesTaylor confirms Liberal leadership showdown with Ley, PM urges unity in caucusLIVEPhoto shows Angus Taylor press conferenceAustralia's political conclave theatrics feel blokey, but the future is femaleAAnalysis by Annabel CrabbPhoto shows Sussan LeyErin Patterson took son on hours-long drive despite feeling sick, murder trial hears — as it happenedTopic:Law, Crime and JusticePhoto shows A digital drawing of Erin Patterson wearing a pink shirtChina criticises Australia over joint exercises in South China SeaTopic:Defence and National SecurityPhoto shows A Philippine Navy AW159 helicopter with the the HMAS Sydney in the background. Mourner of NT shopkeeper allegedly assaulted hours after funeralTopic:CrimePhoto shows An older man stands in front of rows of wine in a store.Related storiesPainting of a 'reluctant hero' takes gong in portrait prizeTopic:Awards and PrizesPhoto shows Painting of a man on a horse with mountains behind him and coloured birds flying overhead.This artist asked a nurse 'Who cares for you?' She was struck by the replyTopic:Visual ArtPhoto shows Person standing in large open space holds coloured flag above their head.The artist on a mission to take these racist items out of circulationTopic:Visual ArtPhoto shows Tony Albert smiles with arms crossed across chest. He wears bright purple shirt and blurred window is behind him.Related topicsArtArts, Culture and EntertainmentAustraliaAwards and PrizesContemporary ArtNSWPaintingSydneyVisual ArtTop StoriesTaylor confirms Liberal leadership showdown with Ley, PM urges unity in caucusTopic:Government and PoliticsPhoto shows Angus Taylor press conferenceAustralia's political conclave theatrics feel blokey, but the future is femaleAAnalysis by Annabel CrabbErin Patterson took son on hours-long drive despite feeling sick, murder trial hears — as it happenedTopic:Law, Crime and JusticeChina criticises Australia over joint exercises in South China SeaTopic:Defence and National SecurityMourner of NT shopkeeper allegedly assaulted hours after funeralTopic:CrimeJust InWhy do so many Indians continue voting Labor? It's not just about immigrationTopic:Australian Federal Elections1m ago1 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 4:30amNT treasurer spends week at fishing comp, days out from first budgetTopic:Budget14m ago14 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 4:17amPolice responding to reports of shots fired on Bruce HighwayTopic:Police18m ago18 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 4:13amWhere does Pope Leo XIV stand on key issues facing the Catholic Church?Topic:Religious Leaders1m ago1 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 4:30amMore Just InBack to top