Art Gallery of NSW’s Archibald Prize 2021 deadline looms

Some artists heaved their portraits across the Domain, eager not to miss the deadline for the popular and often controversial Archibald Prize.

A woman police officer from Wagga Wagga, a Parramatta barber and a Dubbo farmer were on Monday among artists who delivered their paintings to be judged in the Archibald Prize in its centenary year at the Art Gallery of NSW.

Some artists sweated and heaved their paintings across the Domain, eager not to miss Friday’s deadline for the popular and often controversial $100,000 portrait prize.

Police sergeant Maggie Deall (right)) drove with her friend Jodie Noble from Wagga Wagga to personally enter her portrait of politician Steph Cooke. Picture: Toby Zerna

Sergeant Deall said her portrait was of a “fabulous” champion of rural women. Picture: Toby Zerna

But Sergeant Maggie Deall had left Wagga Wagga before dawn to drop off her painting of friend and Cootamundra MP Stephanie Cooke with rescue dogs Lolly and Tilly.

“I wanted to paint Steph at rest because she’s constantly on the go,” Sergeant Deall said.

Ms Cooke was a “fabulous” champion of rural women, she said.

Sergeant Deall is a passionate artist whose own gallery, The Little Yellow House Gallery, will open in Wagga in May.

Mahdi Jafarian caught the train from Parramatta and walked his portrait of actor Jake Ryan to the art gallery. Picture: Toby Zerna

Barbara Ryan drove from Laidley in Queensland to personally enter her portrait of local shop owner Chris Hooper, aka Pineapple. Picture: Toby Zerna

North Parramatta barber Mahdi Jafarian travelled in on the train with his portrait of actor Jake Ryan. He has entered the Archibald before but has never been hung as a finalist.

Barbara Ryan came from Laidley in Queensland in a campervan, constantly shifting her portrait of local business owner Chris Hooper aka Pineapple in and out of the van when she wanted to use the table.

Helena McConochie with her portrait of opera singer Damian Whiteley. Picture: Toby Zerna

NSW Art Gallery head packer Brett Cuthbertson with a portrait of jazz musician Jiri Kripac by artist Peter Smeeth. Picture: Toby Zerna

But there was worse.

“We went through flood waters between Moree and Lightning Ridge,” Ryan said.

Caroline Zilinsky arrived with her portrait of fellow artist Jonathan Dalton, hot and bothered after lugging it from Potts Point.

“The Archibald Prize is a blood sport,” said the artist who won the Portia Geach portrait prize last year.

She likened it to entering a new relationship. “ Go for it, but know it will end in tears,” Zilinsky said.

Caroline Zilinsky walked her portrait of Jonathan Dalton from Woolloomooloo to the art gallery. Picture: Toby Zerna

Artist Helena McConochie farms the land near Dubbo and painted her old friend the opera singer Damian Whiteley.

The 100th Archibald will be announced on June 4. On June 5 the 2021 finalists and winner go on view, along with a special Archie 100 exhibition of past entries, curator Anne Ryan said.

“I feel like I’m part of something really big,” Ryan said.

Actor Rachel Griffiths has this year made a documentary about the Archibald to be screened on ABC television.