Sydney artist Tony Costa has won the 2019 Archibald Prize for his portrait of contemporary artist Lindy Lee.
Costa has been a finalist in previous years but this is his first year taking home the prize ($100,000).
“In my portrait of Lindy, I have kept the colour minimal to avoid any visual noise. Ultimately the invention and the unity of the work is what matters most.”
“I listened to an interview Lindy gave at the AGNSW and found myself agreeing with many of her ideas. I was attracted to her wisdom, humility, courage, humour and, above all, her deep focus regarding her art practice,” Costa told the ABC.
Costa has further explained his artistic process in creating the winning portrait:
“I approach each painting with an empty head, beginning every portrait with charcoal drawings as I collect sensations and information. The challenge for me is to trap the energy of my sitter — the emotional feeling over and above the physical reality. In my portrait of Lindy, I have kept the colour minimal to avoid any visual noise. Ultimately the invention and the unity of the work is what matters most.”
919 Entries for the competition were submitted this year, surpassing stats for previous years.
