Australian artist Julie Fragar has claimed the Archibald Prize 2025—the nation’s most prestigious portraiture award—for her painting Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene). The $100,000 prize was announced today at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), where Fragar’s depiction of fellow artist Justene Williams captivated the judges. Fragar, now a four-time finalist, becomes only the 13th woman to win the Archibald in its 104-year history.
The Winning Portrait: Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene)
Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene) presents Justene Williams suspended in a dynamic, black-and-white regalia against a luminous background. Fragar’s bold brushwork melds abstraction with figurative detail, capturing Williams’s multifaceted practice—known for immersive installations that blend digital and analogue media. In her statement, Fragar explained that the “multiverse” concept speaks to Williams’s exploration of parallel narratives and identities. The judges praised the work’s “inventive composition and psychological depth,” awarding it unanimous support from AGNSW’s Board of Trustees, which includes artists Tony Albert and Caroline Rothwell.
Julie Fragar: A Four-Time Finalist’s Journey
Fragar first appeared on the Archibald shortlist in 2017 and has since been selected in 2020 (for her portrait of Indigenous artist Richard Bell), 2023, and now 2025. Her repeated nominations underscore her sustained engagement with the Australian art community and her commitment to portraying fellow practitioners. In 2023, Fragar’s self-portrait alongside the late American artist Chuck Close demonstrated her affinity for interrogating artistic legacy and influence. Today’s win cements her status as a leading figure in contemporary portraiture.
Historical Significance: Women in the Archibald Winners’ Circle
Since its inception in 1921, the Archibald Prize has been won predominantly by male artists. Fragar’s victory marks a milestone: only the 13th female artist to take home the award, following luminaries such as Nora Heysen (1938), Margaret Olley (1991), and Del Kathryn Barton (2008). In recent years, women finalists have increased in number, reflecting broader shifts toward gender parity in the arts. Fragar herself noted, “To join this lineage of women winners is deeply humbling—I draw strength from their pioneering spirits.”
Trends Among the Finalists: Artists Portraiture and Self-Expression
This year’s Archibald featured 57 finalists selected from 904 entries. A notable trend emerged: 22 of the portraits depict fellow artists, while 12 are self-portraits. Beyond Fragar’s tribute to Williams and Bell, artists turned their attention to colleagues such as Cressida Campbell, Atong Atem, and Chris O’Doherty (better known as Reg Mombassa). The emphasis on artist-to-artist portraiture suggests a reflective moment in the contemporary art world, with practitioners examining each other’s creative processes and personas. Self-portraits, too, offered insights into the evolving identities of artists navigating an era of social media and digital self-representation.
Notable Finalists: From Literature to Broadcasting
Beyond the art community, the roster of finalists included prominent figures from diverse fields. Neale Daniher, the 2025 Australian of the Year and former AFL player turned motor neurone disease advocate, was immortalised in a powerful head-and-shoulders study by Gina Kiel. Rapper and triple j host Nooky appeared in a vibrant, graffiti-inspired canvas by Jackson Handley. Author Kathy Lette, broadcaster Jackie O, and actor Hugo Weaving each received the artist’s interpretive gaze, highlighting the prize’s ability to chart Australia’s wider cultural landscape.
Packing Room, Wynne and Sulman Prizes: A Day of Announcements
The Archibald announcement coincided with two other major AGNSW awards. The Packing Room Prize—voted by the gallery staff responsible for unpacking and hanging the entries—went to Abdul Abdullah for his portrait of fellow artist and Archibald finalist Jason Phu. Abdullah’s work, noted for its social commentary and emotive use of color, resonated with the packing crew’s behind-the-scenes perspective.
The Wynne Prize for landscape painting or figure sculpture was awarded to Jude Rae for Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal. Rae, a Sydney-based artist and multiple finalist across AGNSW prizes, captured the industrial port at first light in a luminous, atmospheric study. In Sky Painting, Gene A’Hern, a young artist based in the Blue Mountains, took home the Sulman Prize for subject or genre painting—his expansive depiction of layered cloudscapes rendered with gestural brushstrokes.
The Archibald Judging Process
The Archibald Prize is judged annually by the AGNSW Board of Trustees, who deliberate on works exhibited in the Archibald Room. Criteria include the portrait’s artistic merit, innovation, and the sitter’s character as captured by the artist. This year, trustees convened over several days to narrow 904 submissions to 57 finalists and to select Fragar’s portrait of Williams as the ultimate winner. In a statement, the Board lauded Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene) for its “audacious vision, technical prowess, and profound insight into the sitter’s creative universe.”
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Reflections from the Art World
Art critics and commentators welcomed Fragar’s victory as a welcome balance between experimentation and figurative tradition. In ArtAsiaPacific, reviewer Serena Lim wrote that the painting “weaves performance art tropes with painterly bravado, bridging two mediums with seamless confidence.” Melbourne gallerist Marcus Lyell noted the work’s timely exploration of digital avatars and virtual identities in an age when artists like Williams push the boundaries of online and physical installations.
Public Engagement and Exhibition Details
The 2025 Archibald exhibition opens to the public on May 10 and runs through July 17 at AGNSW in Sydney. Visitors can view all 57 finalists in the first-floor Archibald Room, accompanied by audio guides featuring interviews with select artists. A parallel program of public talks and panel discussions will explore topics such as “Portraiture in the Digital Age,” “Women in Australian Art,” and “Behind the Scenes: From Packing Room to Prize Winner.”
Community Response and Ticketing
Early ticket sales indicate strong public interest, with weekend slots already selling out. AGNSW Director Michael Brand encouraged art enthusiasts to secure tickets in advance, noting that the Archibald typically draws over 200,000 visitors. For families and students, discounted and free admission days are scheduled on May 24 and June 20, respectively. The gallery also offers guided tours tailored to school groups, highlighting the intersection of biography, technique and contemporary relevance in each portrait.
The Cultural Impact of the Archibald Prize
Since its founding in 1921 by J.F. Archibald, the prize has shaped Australia’s artistic identity, spotlighting eminent sitters—from Prime Ministers to indigenous elders—and elevating the careers of emerging painters. Archibald winners often see their works travel on national tours, feature in major retrospectives, and enter public and private collections. Fragar’s win not only amplifies her own profile but also underscores the continuing vitality of portraiture as a medium for social commentary, personal narrative and artistic innovation.
Looking Ahead: Future Directions in Portraiture
The successful blending of abstraction, digital-age themes and traditional craftsmanship in Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene) suggests that portraiture will continue to evolve. Artists are experimenting with mixed media, augmented-reality components, and cross-disciplinary collaborations. As the Archibald expands its reach—both in the diversity of sitters and stylistic approaches—it remains a barometer of Australia’s cultural zeitgeist. Fragar’s triumph points to a future where portraiture is not only about likeness but also about the complex identities and networks that shape our world.
Conclusion: A Celebration of Art and Dialogue
Julie Fragar’s Archibald Prize win for her portrait of Justene Williams marks a high-point in Australia’s art calendar, celebrating artistic excellence, representation and storytelling. As visitors flock to AGNSW to engage with the finalists, the Archibald continues its century-long mission: to provoke thought, inspire debate and foster an enduring appreciation for the power of portraiture. In honoring Fragar’s bold vision, the prize reaffirms its role as a nexus of tradition and transformation in the Australian arts landscape.
