Indigenous artist wins Archibald Prize

MELBOURNE: Winning the Archibald Prize is not just monumental for artist Blak Douglas, he believes it is a huge moment in history for Indigenous and LGBTQIA Australians too.

The Sydneybased painter of Dhungatti heritage yesterday won the prestigious art prize for his portrait of Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens during the Lismore floods.

He is the first New South Wales Koori to win the $A100,000 ($NZ110,300 prize), in a contest that until recently was predominantly won for depictions of white male faces.

‘‘We have smashed this out of the park with this portrait,’’ he said.

‘‘Karla is a female, a woman of colour and a samesex preference individual, so it’s just this trilogy that I never expected in my wildest dreams would be hanging on the walls as a winner.’’

Titled Moby Dickens, the portrait was unanimously chosen as the winner by Art Gallery of New South Wales Trustees. — AAP