The female-led works from this year’s Archibald Prize we’re most excited to see
Made in partnership with Geelong Gallery
Words by Juliette Salom
Browse every piece at Geelong Gallery until November 9.
There are few art prizes in the country more prolific than the Archibald Prize. Subjects from every corner of Australian culture – from the arts and politics to hometown heroes – feature across the collection of works, creating a kaleidoscope of ordinary people at their most extraordinary. Until November 9, you can peruse these pieces at Geelong Gallery on the 2025 Archibald Prize’s first stop of a country-wide tour.
Among the 57 finalists of this year’s prize, 29 are women. It’s reason enough to visit, with portraits of famous faces, striking self-portraits and inspirational women on show.
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From portraits of Nicole Kidman to an assortment of art world peers, the female-led works of 2025’s Archibald Prize capture humanity in all its forms. Whether you get around a good dose of art every weekend or you’re just curious to see these lush pieces in the flesh, below are some of the female-led works at this year’s Archibald Prize we’re most excited to see.
‘Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene)’ by Julie Frager
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There’s no missing out on Julie Frager’s winning Archibald Prize work when you visit Geelong Gallery. Titled ‘Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene)’, the title of Frager’s piece is a vivid reflection of the whirlwind of emotion that runs through her painting. The work portrays Brisbane multi-media artist Justene Williams and an amalgamation of Justene’s work and life. As the 13th woman to win the $100,000 top prize in the award’s history – and the third woman in a row over the last three years – this exploration of a fellow female artist’s creative life is both an eloquent and incredibly deserving piece to claim the win this year. Major props to Frager.
Read more here.
‘Sisters’ by Jaq Grantford
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Our Nicole has been surfacing everywhere lately, and the Archibald is no exception. This heartfelt portrait of sisters Nicole and Antonia Kidman emanates the kind of beautiful bond only shared by family. Painted over Christmas by three-time Archibald finalist Jaq Grantford, the moment the sisters share is a touching one as they confront the first Christmas without their mother, Janelle Kidman. Come for Nicole in all her glory, stay for the heartwarming intimacy the portrait offers.
Read more here.
‘Magic Nikki and Charlie Fancy Pants Party … DJaaaaaaaay’ by Meagan Pelham
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The Archibald Prize is known for spotlighting artists that push boundaries, whether those boundaries be political, social, emotional or form-based. Rest assured, you won’t discover any other art work that compares to Meagan Pelham’s across the catalogue of pieces at Geelong Gallery. This multi-media concoction of colour, texture and story captures the marriage of designer and jeweller Nikita Majajas and DJ Charlie Villas. The colourful portrait of the couple is brimming with as much energy and romance as we imagine the people themselves emanate.
Read more here.
‘Home’ by Rachel Coad
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A portrait is never just a portrait, and Rachel Coad’s painting of Ken Leung understands that to its core. Exploring the idea of home – where it is, what it looks like, how to find it – Coad’s depiction of close friend and global creative director (having worked with brands like Uniqlo and DKNY) is a quiet journey across emotional terrain. The portrait of internal reflection is also Coad’s first appearance in the Archibald Prize.
Read more here.
‘Diana through threads’ by Madeleine Kelly
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There’s a real beauty in the marriage of different art forms, and Madeleine Kelly’s portrayal of overlapping art practices is on subtle display in her portrait of Diana Wood Conroy. Kelly, a German-born, Australian-based artist pays tribute to Conroy’s own artistic practice of experimental textiles in this beautiful rendition of the artist. Known for creating intricate woven tapestries over her career, Conroy’s art isn’t so dissimilar to Kelly’s, with a love of geometry, shape, colour and pattern connecting the two in their parallel work.
Read more here.
‘From comic to canvas’ by Kaylene Whiskey
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Not every year does a comic book make it as a finalist in the Archibald Prize, but when it has Kaylene Whiskey at the helm, you can be sure it will. This colourful kaleidoscope of story and imagery is an ode to the comic book medium that Whiskey grew up with. Both nostalgic and optimistic, Whiskey’s work draws from the power of women who have come before to create a source of inspiration for young girls of the future.
Read more here.
‘Finger painting of William Barton’ by Loribelle Spirovski
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As if creating a work of art that secures a spot among the Archibald Prize finalists isn’t hard enough, Loribelle Spirovski did so with only just her finger. Capturing yidaki (didgeridoo) virtuoso William Barton in this stunning portrait, Spirovski took pragmatic measures in crafting her work due to an injury that has made painting both difficult and painful. With just her finger and a palette of paint, she created this stunning work and won the 2025 People’s Choice Award in Sydney for it, too.
Read more here.
‘Banquet (Rainbow Chan)’ by Whitney Duan
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Explorations of identity are served in this banquet feast of a portrait. Reflecting themes of transformation that she’s pondered throughout her own experiences as an Australian-Chinese artist, Whitney Duan’s vibrant painting of Chun Yin Rainbow Chan 陳雋然 is a conversational dance on canvas. A child of Hong Kong immigrants and an acclaimed artist and musician that experiments with form and material, Rainbow Chan is the perfect focal point for a piece of art that carries a myriad of experiences in one.
Read more here.
Peruse these female-led pieces and a whole lot more at the Archibald Prize exhibition at Geelong Gallery, from August 30 to November 9. Find more here.
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