Waleed Aly’s wife Susan Carland could make history as the first Muslim to win the prestigious Archibald Prize.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales’s new head packer Brett Cuthbertson has hinted the portrait painting of the Muslim-convert Melbourne academic, who is married to The Project host, was a frontrunner to win the Packing Room Prize.
‘I like that one,’ he told the ABC’s 7.30 program during a Friday afternoon unveiling of the artworks.
Waleed Aly’s wife Susan Carland could make history as the first Muslim to win the prestigious Archibald Prize
The Art Gallery of New South Wales’s new head packer Brett Cuthbertson (pictured) has hinted the portrait painting of the Muslim academic to The Project host, was a frontrunner
Mr Cuthbertson, who has worked at the Sydney art gallery for 37 years, said a Packing Room Prize winner in the Archibald competition needed to depict someone well-known.
He revealed he also liked the portraits of movie star Guy Pearce and Muslim comedian Nazeem Hussain, who last year featured on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.
‘See, that’s what I mean,’ he said. ‘They are instantly recognisable.
‘I mean everyone knows Guy Pearce.
‘Most people know Nazeem now. Yeah, so that’s the sort of thing I’m looking for.’
Mr Cuthbertson said a Packing Room Prize needed to depict someone well-known. He revealed he liked the portraits of movie star Guy Pearce and comedian Nazeem Hussain
The Packing Room Prize, which has been running since 1991, has always returned a different result to the main Archibald Prize, which is a vote of art critics.
Archibald curator Anne Ryan said the Packing Room Prize was a better reflection of what the public liked.
‘The Packing Room Prize is a really popular element of the Archibald Prize process,’ she said.
‘It’s a bit more akin to what our everyday visitors might appreciate and enjoy.’
The Archibald Prize has been running since 1921, with The Project host Lisa Wilkinson last year winning the main prize while a portrait of little-known artist Agatha Gothe-Snape won the main prize.