Archibald Prize-2007 winner John Beard

2007 Archibald Prize winner
John Beard
Janet Laurence

Just a short review of this years Archibald Portrait Prize. In broad terms, the Archibald and its cousins the Wynne and Sulman prizes were a disappointment. However, this year's worthy winner is an exception. John Beard (a disciplined and mature artist with a lifetime of devotion to his art) continues to paint his artist friends. His portrait of Janet Laurence continues to exploit the contrast between oil paint and encaustic in a deliberately limit pallette of black and white colour relationships. It is an insightful and engrossing work, rooted in direct observation, yet never losing a sense of mystery. The painting requires examination from a certain distance to appreciate the subtle nuances of black on black colours imbedded within the shadows. This black on black affects the overall atmosphere of the painting by suffusing the canvas in an all-encompassing colour-light that suggests a dominant blue tonality. Beard demonstrates skill and sensitivity, he has managed to penetrate below the surface and lay bare the underlying gentle aura of melancholy and isolation of his sitter.