Julie Fragar has won the 2025 Archibald Prize for her portrait of fellow artist Justene Williams, titled Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene). The announcement was made on May 9, 2025, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where Fragar received a $100,000 prize, marking a significant achievement in her career.
Fragar's portrait was chosen unanimously by the judges from a competitive pool of 904 entries and 57 finalists. This victory is particularly notable as Fragar becomes the 13th woman to win the prestigious prize in its 104-year history, and the 15th time the award has been given to a female artist. Fragar expressed her gratitude, stating, "It doesn’t get better than this." She noted the importance of her win coinciding with the appointment of Maud Page as the first female director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
In her acceptance speech, Fragar reflected on her journey as an artist, saying, "You work your whole career imagining this might happen one day." The artist, who is also the head of painting at the Queensland College of Art and Design, described her relationship with Williams as one of deep friendship and artistic respect. "Justene is incredible," she stated, highlighting Williams' multifaceted contribution to the art scene.
The winning portrait, measuring 240 cm by 180.4 cm, captures Williams’ unique essence and artistic energy. Fragar elaborated, "I made this painting because I wanted to honour the incredible multiverse of artwork that seems always to be exploding from her." Williams, who had only seen the finished portrait at the award announcement, remarked, "I do feel like it catches me, my work … and I love that my daughter's in it. Julie's worked so hard and I think she's a brilliant painter … It really was her time."
This year’s Archibald Prize has been marked by a significant trend towards female representation, with more than 70% of the finalists across the three awards being women artists. Fragar’s win continues a three-year streak of female winners, a reflection of the evolving landscape of Australian art.
Alongside Fragar's achievement, the Wynne Prize for landscape painting and figurative sculpture was awarded to Jude Rae for her painting Pre-dawn Sky Over Port Botany Container Terminal, which earned her a $50,000 prize. Rae expressed that her work reflects her view from her home, capturing the industrial landscape against the vast sky.
Gene A’Hern also received recognition, winning the $40,000 Sulman Prize for his painting Sky Painting. A’Hern's work, which he described as being about home and place, adds to the diverse array of artistic expressions showcased this year.
The Archibald, Wynne, and Sulman Prizes exhibition will be on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from May 10 to August 17, 2025. Following the exhibition, the Archibald Prize finalists will tour regional galleries across Victoria and New South Wales until September 2026, while the Wynne Prize finalists will tour until June 2026.
Fragar’s win is a testament to her dedication and the hard work that characterizes the lives of many artists. She shared insights into the challenges faced by artists today, especially regarding the state of arts education in Australia, where 40 creative arts courses have been discontinued in universities between 2018 and 2025. Fragar emphasized the resilience of artists, stating, "Artists are scrappy, and people who want to teach art are scrappy, and we keep making it happen."
The Archibald Prize remains one of Australia’s most prestigious portraiture awards, recognizing the best portrait of a person distinguished in art, letters, science, or politics, painted by an Australian resident. With its long history and evolving nature, the prize continues to celebrate the rich tapestry of Australian art and the stories of its artists.
