Haunting winning portrait of the blind Indigenous singer, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, by Guy Maestri
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Sydney artist Guy Maestri won the 2009 Archibald Prize for his haunting portrait of the blind Indigenous singer, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.
The portraiture prize is one of Australia's most prestigious art awards, and has been awarded annually since 1921 (except in 1964 and 1980 when the trustees decided no submitted entry was worthy of the award) and nowadays carries a (non-acquisitive) $A50,000 prize.
It is the first time Maestri had reached the finals of the award, having entered on eight previous occasions. His subject matter, a gifted musician, leads a traditional lifestyle in Arnhem Land, sings in his native Yolngu language and is the Northern Territory Australian of the Year. Maestri was inspired to paint Gurrumul after seeing him perform live in 2008.
But the 'curse' of the Archibald continued. The Packing Room Prize, selected by staff at the gallery, was awarded to Sydney artist Paul Jackson for his portrait of comedian Paul 'Flacco' Livingston. First presented in 1991, no winner of the Packing Room Prize has ever won the Archibald.
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