Archibald Prize goes to Bendigo
One of Australia’s most prestigious art competitions, Archibald Prize, will be on show at the Bendigo Art Gallery from 30 May to 12 July.
First awarded in 1921, this year’s art entries will travel to Bendigo following their run at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
The Bendigo Art Gallery, will be the exclusive Victorian venue for this event which will feature all 39 short listed works including an image of Ben Cousins seen restless in bed; Neil Mitchell; Dame Elizabeth Murdoch; John Safran; Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu; Richard Clapton; David Helfgott; Jimmy Barnes; Tom Keneally; Marcia Langton and Brendan Cowell.
Since its inception the Archibald Prize has aroused controversy while chronicling the changing face of Australian society. Numerous legal battles and much debate have focused on the evolving definitions of what is portraiture.
The Bendigo Gallery is expecting record numbers of visitors to the exhibition. In 2008 the Archibald Prize attracted more than 40,000 visitors - one of the highest attendances for a touring exhibition in a regional gallery. The gallery expects that the short-listed works on display this year will attract enormous interest from local as well as intrastate and interstate visitors.
For more information: www.thearchibaldprize.com.au/home or call Bendigo Art Gallery on 03 5434 6085.
Media contact: Sharon Wells on 03 9417 4665 or 0419 508 619