The Smart Money

Looking at the web and the newspapers and listening to the pundits on radio, there’s a massive consensus out there that John Olsen will walk away with the Archibald. Informed opinion has it that Olsen’s entry is a “painting” – with all the gravitas that overloaded word conjures – but the question remains, have the AGNSW Trustees genuflected before Olsen’s career? Another interesting development has been a groundswell of support for Ben Quilty, an artist who has swayed many with his determined use of big, big brush strokes – kind of like a mad Fauvist Frank Auerbach – in his fetching portrait of Beryl. (Let’s hope winning the Kings School Art Prize hasn’t spoiled him). Even as we write, the publicists at the AGNSW will be making calls inviting artists to the announcement tomorrow, some even suggesting, very strongly, that certain artists attend. It’s all so exciting…