Brisbane-based artist Julie Fragar has made history by winning the prestigious $100,000 Archibald Prize for 2025 with her captivating portrait of fellow artist Justene Williams, titled Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene). This announcement was made on the morning of May 9, 2025, by Maud Page, the newly appointed director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, who called Fragar to deliver the joyous news. The decision was unanimous among the trustees, who selected Fragar's work from a competitive field of 57 finalists out of 904 entries.
Fragar, a four-time finalist in the Archibald Prize, expressed her overwhelming emotions upon receiving the call, bursting into tears. "You work your whole career imagining this might happen one day," she said. "Thinking back to myself as a 17-year-old showing up at the Sydney College of the Arts—a kid from country New South Wales—it's incredible to think I have won the Archibald Prize." The win is particularly significant as it marks the 15th time the prize has been awarded to a woman since its inception in 1921, making Fragar the 13th female winner.
The title of Fragar's winning work, Flagship Mother Multiverse, derives from Williams' recent endurance performance in New Zealand titled Making do rhymes with poo, which explored the challenges of juggling motherhood and artistic pursuits. In her portrait, Fragar depicts Williams floating among stars, surrounded by artistic materials, with her daughter Honore represented as a small figure atop a sculpture. Fragar described her sitter as "incredible" and emphasized the honor of capturing Williams' unique essence. "I feel very fortunate that she allowed me to do this portrait. There is nobody like her," she remarked.
Art Gallery director Maud Page praised Fragar's work, stating, "Here are two of Australia’s great artists in conversation about what matters most to them. Julie Fragar has a sumptuous ability to transcend reality and depict her subjects technically but also psychologically. Justene Williams is a larger-than-life character, a performer—cacophonous and joyous. This work speaks to me as a powerful rendition of the juggle some of us perform as mothers and professionals." This sentiment was echoed by Michael Rose, president of the Art Gallery’s Board of Trustees, who noted the high standard of work this year.
In addition to the Archibald Prize, the Art Gallery of New South Wales also announced winners for the Wynne and Sulman Prizes. Jude Rae received the $50,000 Wynne Prize for her landscape painting Pre-dawn sky over Port Botany container terminal, while Gene A'Hern was awarded the $40,000 Sulman Prize for his work Sky painting, which beat a record field of 732 entries. Earlier in May, the $3,000 Packing Room Prize went to Abdul Abdullah for a portrait of his friend Jason Phu.
For the first time in 2025, women artists made up the majority of finalists in all three competitions: the Archibald, Wynne, and Sulman Prizes. This shift highlights the growing recognition and representation of female artists in the Australian art scene. The finalists' works will be on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from May 10 until August 17, 2025, before touring Victoria and New South Wales.
Fragar's achievement not only celebrates her personal journey as an artist but also signifies a broader movement within the art community, where female voices and perspectives are increasingly acknowledged and celebrated. As she reflects on her career and this monumental win, Fragar hopes her story inspires other artists, particularly women, to pursue their passions and share their unique narratives through art.
