World News – UA – Archibald Prize 2020: Vincent Namatjira named winner of the portrait of Adam Goodes

Vincent Namatjira won the Archibald Prize 2020 for his portrayal of Adam Goodes, the first Indigenous artist to win in 99 years of history

The painting, titled Stand Strong for Who You Are, depicts the former footballer and Swans great Goodes shaking hands with Namatjira himself

Namatjira’s victory follows Meyne Wyatt who made Archibald history last week by winning the $ 1,500 Wrapping Room Prize – judged by gallery staff who receive, unpack and hangs the entries Archibald In doing so, he became the first Native to win one of the prizes offered to the Archibalds in his history

The $ 100,000 prize for the portrait was awarded on Friday as part of a small social event broadcast live at the Art Gallery of New South Wales

The 55 finalists for the Archibald, Australia’s most prestigious portrait award, were revealed last week, after a record 1,068 nominations

« This is a really special moment for me, » Namatjira said, during the ceremony via video conference from Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands in South Australia

« What an honor to be the first Indigenous recipient of the Archibald Prize, » he said It only took 99 years I’m so proud to be the first, but I also have to thank all the Indigenous finalists and the Indigenous Guardians of this year and past « 

« I am delighted that an Indigenous artist, Vincent Namatjira, has won the Archibald Prize for the first time and I am so happy that it highlights all Indigenous art. We have a 60,000-year history of art and culture in our people and we share this knowledge and gift of culture with all of Australia, ”said Goodes

« Vincent and I are also compatriots I am so proud of Vincent and his family, their journey has been shared through the art of generations »

Namatjira’s work has grown in popularity over the past decade, with the artist being awarded an Order of Australia this year in honor of her contribution to Indigenous visual arts

Namatjira first met Goodes in 2018 and decided to paint him after watching the recent documentary, The Final Quarter, about Goodes’ last season playing at the AFL

In notes of his work, Namatjira described Goodes as « a proud Indigenous person who stands up for his people »

« We share similar stories and experiences – of disconnection from culture, language and country, and the constant pressures to be an indigenous man in this country. We also both have young girls and we do not want them to have these same experiences ”, we read in Namatjira’s notes on his painting

“When I was younger and growing up in the host system in Perth, native footballers were like heroes to me. Goodesy is however much more than a great footballer, he took a strong stand against racism and said: « enough is enough » I’m also strong with you, brother « 

Past winners of The Archibald include luminaries in Australian visual art including John Olsen, Del Kathryn Barton, Ben Quilty, Wendy Sharpe, Brett Whiteley and more

This year’s finalists include works by Abdul Abdullah, Louise Hearman, Vincent Namatjira and Emily Crockford, with models like Annabel Crabbe, Behrouz Boochani and David Marr

The Archibald typically opens in May, but has been postponed this year with the Wynne and Sulman Awards due to the coronavirus pandemic

The finalists will be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW until January 10, followed by a tour of the NSW and Victoria area in 2021

Archibald Prize, Adam Goodes, Albert Namatjira