Ngaiire, L-FRESH The LION, Briggs & More Among Archibald Finalist Portraits

The finalists vying for this year’s prestigious Archibald Prize have been announced, with local musicians, comedians and more featuring across the nominated works.

The annual award – named after renowned journalist and Art Gallery of NSW trustee JF Archibald – this year sees portraits featuring the likes of local musos Briggs, L-FRESH The LION, Ngaiire, Deborah Conway, Stan Walker and Phanos Proestos.

Other talent featured among the 55 shortlisted artworks are Magda Szubanski (as Sharon Strzelecki), US artist Brian Firkus (aka Trixie Mattel) and Aussie comedian Adam Spencer.

"L-FRESH’s music touches on issues of social justice, such as racism and equality, with the purpose of inspiring positive change," Claus Stangl, artist of L-FRESH The LION, said.

"He taught me the significance of colour – how orange represents wisdom and navy blue is the colour of the warrior and of protection, which I incorporated."

Ngaiire artist Nick Stathopoulos noted: "I often paint large works, but in this instance, Ngaiire’s unassuming character dictated a more modest scale. Somehow a larger-than-life portrait was inappropriate, despite her flamboyant and glamorous on-stage persona, and I sought to capture these opposing qualities."

Kicking off in 1921, the Archibald Prize is awarded each year to a portrait featuring someone “distinguished in art, letters, science or politics, painted by any artist resident in Australasia” and is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW.

The $100,000 Archibald prize will be announced on 25 September and you can see all of this year’s finalists here.