Four Nanda\Hobbs artists have been selected for the 2019 Archibald Prize—Jun Chen, Luke Cornish, Jonathan Dalton, Paul Ryan with Jun Chen and Paul Ryan both doubling up. Jun Chen is also a Wynne Prize finalist and Paul Ryan is in the Sulman Prize.
Jun Chen has painted Mao's Last Dancer's Li Cunxin who was also the subject of his painting recently commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, to celebrate the Gallery's 20th year. His exquisite three metre Wynne Prize painting is from his magnolia tree series. Chen is a five-time Sulman Prize finalist and three-time Wynne Prize finalist. This is the seventh time he has been represented in the Archibald Prize.
Luke Cornish (ELK)'s outstanding portrait is of businesswoman and media commentator Sue Cato and her two dogs, Callie and Comet. Amusingly, Cornish comments "The sitting was done at Cato’s Redfern home. The painting behind her is by Scottish abstract artist Callum Innes. ‘Initially there was a painting by Ben Quilty [an AGNSW trustee] hanging there, but we decided that might be a conflict of interest!’".
The first street artist to become an Archibald Prize finalist in 2012, he was a Sulman Prize finalist in 2013 and won the People’s Choice award at the 2017 Salon des Refusés.
Jonathan Dalton has achieved "perfect score" entry success for the Archibald Prize. First entering in 2017, he has been selected for the last three consecutive years. The Irish born artist moved to Australia six years ago and has already risen to prominence on the Australian art scene. His 2019 entry is a portrait of Sally Anderson with fellow artist and partner, Guy Maestri holding their young son.
Paul Ryan is a veteran of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes. This year marks his thirteenth time as an Archibald finalist and seventh time in the Sulman Prize. He has also been a finalist in the Wynne Prize five times. Structually based on Velázquez’s painting Las meninas (1656), his Archibald painting features artist James Drinkwater reflected in a mirror with the Beastie Boys—the latter also the subject of his Sulman entry.
To view all finalists, visit https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2019/
Image \ Luke Cornish, Cato, Cailie and Comet, 2019, aerosol and arcylic on canvas, 186.5x125cm (ARCHIBALD FINALIST)
