Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize

Get excited for Archie 100: A Century of The Archibald Prize, which will be gracing the HOTA Gallery from July 15 to October 2.

In 2021, the Art Gallery of New South Wales celebrated the 100th birthday of Australia’s oldest and most-loved portrait award, the Archibald Prize.

The landmark exhibition explores the rich history of the Archibald Prize, unearthing fascinating stories behind more than 100 carefully selected artworks. It reflects not just how artistic styles and approaches to portraiture have changed over time but, importantly, the changing face of our nation.

Archie 100 delves into the controversies and the commonplace, the triumphant and the thwarted, and honours the artists who’ve made the Archibald Prize the most sought-after accolade in Australian art today.

Resulting from many years of research of lost portraits, Archie 100 includes paintings from the Art Gallery of New South Wales collection as well as works from libraries, galleries and museums across Australia and New Zealand, and private Australian and international collections – some that haven’t been seen since first being exhibited in the Archibald.

Image one: Wes Walters Molly 1983, collection of Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum, Melbourne © Estate of Wes Walters

Image two: William Dargie Portrait of Albert Namatjira 1956, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, purchased 1957 © Estate ofWilliam Dargie, photo: QAGOMA

Image three: Tempe Manning Self-portrait 1939, Art Gallery of New South Wales, purchased with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society of NSW 2021 © Estate of Tempe Manning