Archibald Prize 2018: Packing Room prize goes to...

The Archibald’s are on again and the packers have picked their winner. All 58 finalists are here, who would get your vote? GALLERY

It’s the first time head packer Brett Cuthbertson has awarded the prize.

Famous faces from the law, music, the stage and even state politics figure in the line-up of this year’s Archibald Prize, unveiled this morning at the Art Gallery of NSW.

But most of the 58 selected finalists are self-portraits, led by a new painting by double Archibald winner Del Kathryn Barton. The picture with Barton’s trademark psychedelic style is called Self-portrait with Studio Wife and features the artist with her dog Cherry Bomb sitting on her shoulder.

Likenesses of actors Guy Pearce and David Wenham, musicians Jimmy Barnes and Courtney Barnett and dance legend Meryl Tankard are also in contention for the $100,000 prize.

As a prelude to the main event, the Packing Room prize, announced this morning, has been won by Jamie Preisz for his portrait of Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes, Jimmy (title fight).

In the portrait, Barnes has been painted as a fighter, like his father. This morning at the gallery, the singer said: “I fought against demons that very nearly beat me.”

After the announcement, Preisz said the portrait was in honour of his sister, Bella, whom he lost to suicide in December.

2018 Archibald finalists

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It’s the first time head packer Brett Cuthbertson has awarded the prize — he has 52 per cent of the vote — since he took over from former packer Steve Peters who retired last year.

The Packing Room Prize comes with $1500 but the honour is something of a mixed blessing: the winner has never gone on to win the main prize in the same year.

The Archibald was first awarded in 1921 and the rules stipulate that the winner be a portrait of a man or woman “distinguished in art, letters, science or politics”.

Among this year’s finalists are Booker Prize winning author Richard Flanagan and, from the legal profession, High Court chief justice Susan Kiefel and state prosecutor Sally Dowling.

Another lawyer has painted a self-portrait: Amani Haydar has depicted herself holding a photograph of her mother Salwa Haydar, who was stabbed to death by her husband and Amani’s father, Haydar Haydar, in 2015.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian gets a look in, as does Arts Minister Don Harwin. Their inclusion in the Archibald hang may be fortuitous: the state government last year approved $244 million for the gallery’s Sydney Modern extension.

Actors are a popular subject for Archibald entrants and this year includes Anne Middleton’s portrait of an unshaven and shirtless Guy Pearce and Paul Jackson’s picture called Alison Whyte, A Mother of the Renaissance, with the actress wearing an Elizabethan ruff collar.

David Wenham, whose portrait by Adam Cullen won the 2000 Archibald, is depicted in a small painting by Jordan Richardson.

Artists also paint other artists, and among the studio pairings are Noel Thurgate’s picture in oils and mixed media of Elisabeth Cummings, former Archibald alumnus Euan MacLeod with his picture of Guy Warren, and Sally Ross’s double portrait of performance artists The Huxleys.

But painted selfies dominate the walls, where the self-portraits include those by Guy Maestri, Prudence Flint, Robert Hannaford, Tiger Yaltangki and James Powditch.

Among them is a small self-portrait by Nicholas Harding called Treatment, day 49 (sorbolene soak), painted during his treatment for cancer earlier this year.

The Archibald Prize, judged by the AGNSW Trustees, will be announced at midday next Friday, May 11.

Arts editor Ashleigh Wilson meditates on who will win the 2018 Archibald Prize

The finalists - all 58 of them - for this year's Archibald Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW are now out. See them here ... https://t.co/y0CPqL6u8d

— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) May 3, 2018

Sometimes the overall winner is obvious. Sometimes less so. I'd say one of the top contenders this year will be dual winner Del Kathryn Barton, for this self-portrait with her dog Cherry Bomb pic.twitter.com/FdZ7wbN5FZ

— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) May 3, 2018

Another strong entry is Euan MacLeod - 1999 Archibald winner- for this portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren. pic.twitter.com/GrWfJ0L2iS

— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) May 3, 2018

Is it Robert Hannaford's year? This is his self portrait, so he's in with a good shot. pic.twitter.com/vK1uECIOjp

— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) May 3, 2018

Then again, maybe it's Nicholas Harding's year. He would be a worthy winner. This is his painting, "Treatment, day 49 (sorbolene soak)", which documents his struggle with cancer, as I wrote about recently https://t.co/5npC0tdDTz pic.twitter.com/VCTTt8Q130

— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) May 3, 2018

My guess is that the winning portrait will come down to Nicholas Harding or Del Kathryn Barton. But I could be way off. Winners announced Friday week.

— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) May 3, 2018

NSW politicians are featured prominently on Archibald walls this year: Mathew Lynn has painted premier Gladys Berejiklian while Mirra Whale has painted arts minister Don Harwin. Probably appropriate, in a sense, given the government is backing the gallery's expansion plans.

— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) May 3, 2018

As for the Wynne prize - and a caveat: I've only seen these images in reproduction - I'd put my money on this one by former Archibald winner Fiona Lowry https://t.co/o5tLPtpAvq

— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) May 3, 2018

Finally, for the Sulman, it's hard to go past this one by Wendy Sharpe, at least for me, since this was my hood for so many years: https://t.co/apfGYMNTJ6

— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) May 3, 2018

So it seems like three former Archibald winners are real contenders this year. Nicholas Harding (2001), Del Kathryn Barton (2008 and 2013) and Euan MacLeod (1999). But again, who knows. I could be way off.

— Ashleigh Wilson (@ashleighbwilson) May 3, 2018