Archibald Prize 2024

In 2024 I was honoured to be selected as a finalist for Australasia’s prestigious portraiture award, the Archibald Prize, with my painting of renowned New Zealand photographer Fiona Pardington. For the last few years, I’ve been working on portraits of artists living in the South Island. I got in touch with Fiona through a mutual friend and seeing her reclining on her couch with her dog Minerva, I knew that was how I should paint her, surrounded by all her interesting and beloved things.

Painting Fiona was a huge privilege in itself, and it was incredible to be shortlisted for such a coveted prize.

The annual Archibald Prize was first awarded in 1921. It is administered by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales and valued at A$100,000 ($108,000). Since then, only 10 New Zealand artists have been shortlisted for the Archibald Prize, with only one Kiwi ever winning an associated award: Auckland-based Martin Ball, who took out the Packing Room Prize in 2008. 

As one of 57 finalists (from more than 1000 entries), I travelled to Sydney with my wife Gepke, where we attended some amazing launch and artist events. It was a great experience meeting other finalists, artists and curators and, while I didn’t win the Prize, it was a privilege to be there and part of it. 

You can read more about it in the New Zealand Herald here.