Matt Adnate: Grand Central mural artist takes home top Australian art prize

You may have noticed this artist’s stunning murals across Toowoomba. Now his world-renowned work has won one of the top art prizes in the country.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos MAY 30, 2024: Matt Adnate is awarded the Archibald Packing Room Prize for his portrait of Baker Boy at The Art Gallery of NSW on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

The man who painted the stunning mural on the side of Grand Central has taken home one of Australia’s most prestigious art prizes.

Matt Adnate’s portrait of ARIA Award winning Yolngu rapper, dancer, artist and actor Baker Boy won the prestigious 2024 Packing Room Prize.

The $3000 Packing Room Prize was selected from 57 finalists in the 2024 Archibald Prize, and is judged and awarded by Art Gallery of NSW staff who receive, unpack and hang the entries.

Mr Adnate said he was “absolutely stoked” to win the Packing Room Prize 2024 for his portrait of his friend Baker Boy, who is also known as Danzal Baker.

“With this portrait, I aimed to encapsulate the journey of my dear friend Baker Boy from his roots as a young Indigenous performer from Arnhem Land to the music icon he has become today,” he said.

“I have always been inspired by music as it can help me channel and evoke strong emotion into my work.

“It gives me the energy to keep painting, from canvases in my studio to large-scale murals.

“I’m in awe of artists like Baker Boy who have the power to use music to transform people’s mood, mind and energy.”

The Matt Adnate mural on the side of Grand Central, painted in July 2023.

Mr Adnate completed his Grand Central mural in just a matter of days in July last year, and features a young Indigenous girl.

“I grew up as a white kid and don’t have any Indigenous blood, but for me I’ve always felt passionate about this and I’ve had elders brought to tears in front of my walls,” Mr Adnate said.

“This (mural) is about acknowledging them, giving them a voice in a city where they might be marginalised or not heard and spreading a message of joy and hope to the community.”

The project was led by Adapt Mentoring co-founders Adam and Suzie Wenitong and funded by CatholicCare.

“We believe this particular mural will also create important conversations around respect for women and the Indigenous culture,” Mr Wenitong said.

The winners of the Archibald will be announced on June 7, alongside the winners of the Wynne and Sulman prizes.