Carrum Downs artist Jaq Grantford has been named as the Archibald Prize 2023 ‘People’s Choice’ winner for her winning portrait of former Playschool presenter and beloved Australian personality Noni Hazlehurst.
This month, the highly anticipated Archibald Prize 2023 opens at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery – the only Victorian destination for this popular event. Thousands of art lovers and curious cultural adventurers will head to Mornington to see the 57 portraits hanging side-by-side, including Jaq’s now famous portrait and this year’s winning work of Montaigne by Julia Gutman.
Portraits have always intrigued the viewer: the eyeline, the position of the model, the story behind the sitter. For many, it’s the first time a visitor can be up close and personal with a public figure or cultural identity from this generation. A portrait is a reflection of the people of our time for future generations to experience and discuss.
For more than a century, art lovers have flocked to the annual Archibald Prize event to experience people and faces of our time and culture, and Jaq’s portrait of Noni Hazlehurst is no exception to the array of works by Australian artists in the 2023 touring exhibition.
This is not Jaq’s first award-winning portrait. In 2022, Grantford took the top spot at the Darling Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery of Australia and in 2019 the Melbourne artist won the 2019 Kennedy Art Prize and Best in Show at the American Art Awards.
Jaq’s winning portraiture work can be seen in collections around the world including the European Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona, as well as locally in the National Portrait Gallery and the NGV Collection. Grantford’s work is often the chosen favourite of gallery-goers and has won various ‘people’s choice’ awards including the Lester Prize and the Shirley Hannon Portrait Prize.
Archibald Prize fans can experience Grantford’s winning portrait up close and reserve a spot to hear the artist speak about her work, process and style in an intimate lunch event in conversation with MPRG curator Dunja Rmandić at the picturesque Montalto Winery in Red Hill on 27 October.
For a more informal event, gallery-goers can join Jaq on a tour of the Archibald Prize 2023 exhibition and enjoy local wine, cheese and conversation in the Gallery’s late night series, FRIDAY UNWINDS on 13 October.
The Gallery will be open late every Friday night until 9pm throughout the Archibald Prize 2023 exhibition. FRIDAY UNWINDS is an art lover’s exclusive Friday night pass to admire the exhibition after dark with local beers, wine, cheeses and live music.
Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery have installed a pop up café with the good folk at Commonfolk, providing visitors with delicious food and beverage options during their Archibald Prize 2023 visit.
Tickets are selling fast for Australia’s most prestigious art event, the Archibald Prize 2023 which will be on display at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery from 15 September to 5 November.
Timed entry, flexible entry and open late tickets are available now. To book your spot and to view the array of curated programs visit mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au
The Archibald Prize 2023 is Australia’s oldest and most prestigious art award and will be shown exclusively in Victoria at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. The Archibald Prize 2023 is an Art Gallery of New South Wales touring exhibition.
First published in the Mornington News – 12 September 2023
