Ben Apfelbaum

PACKING ROOM PRIZE THE ARCHIBALD 2017

Featured photo – Lisa Wilkinson AM, retiring Head Packer Steve Peters and behind the winning entry Peter Smeeth’s portrait of Lisa. Pic Ben Apfelbaum.

‘High drama’ this was. This was the last time Steve Peters, after forty years on the job, selected the Packing Room Prize worth $1500. Peters has handed the reins to Breet Cuthbertson who will judge this coveted prize for the foreseeable future.

As the winning prize was announced, the sitter, Lisa Wilkinson, suddenly strode into the room. She was told that her portrait had won just as she emerged from surgery  on her right arm three days ago, due to a fall in Italy. Groggy after the operation she thought it was the Kerry Packer prize! The occasion was the first time that she had seen the portrait and she was absolutely delighted with it. ‘He got me’, she told the gathering.

Adding a touch of poignancy to the prize giving the artist, Peter Smeeth, was at the same time delivering a eulogy for a very dear  friend  in Yass. Lisa said. ‘This is the mark of this man.’

In the background of this portrait is a reflection of her family who were all present at the function.

Gallery Director Michael Brand noted that no Packing Room Prize winner has ever the Archibald Prize. Furthermore, the Prize had never been won by a reclining subject. He advised that if you are an arts punter don’t bet on Peter Smeeth’s portrait to win!

Finalists for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes were also announced at the ceremony, as were the finalists for the Young Archie competition.

The announcement of the winner of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes will take place on Friday 28th July at noon.

The 2017 Young Archie winners will be announced on Saturday 16th September and the People’s Choice announcement takes place on Wednesday 4th October.

Published by Ben Apfelbaum

My photography began when my father handed me the proverbial brownie box camera as a child. As cameras developed I went through Fujica and Olympus range finders graduating to my first single lens reflex camera, the Minolta SRT101, the latter being the greatest facilitator to my growth as a photographer. Digital photography has only added to this. I was a regular contributor to Camera Craft magazine (Australian Camera ) for over three years. During Australia’s Bicentennial year (1988) I made it a personal project to document the celebrations. This culminated in the creation of a book of my photos which was published in 1989. The book was called CELEBRATING AUSTRALIA and came with an accompanying calendar. My works have appeared in a number of publications including the coffee book entitled MY AUSTRALIA (1989), publisher Robertsbridge Severn. This book had a preface by the then Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke. I was a co-photographer on a book entitled SYDNEY- DISCOVER THE CITY with text written by Robert Treborland. Major Mitchell Press was the publisher. Also for two years I was the photographer for calendars celebrating Sydney’s multicultural communities. The two calendars were entitled MULTICULTURAL SYDNEY. My work appeared in a group exhibition held at Sydney’s Town Hall pertaining to the diversity of life in South America to raise money for orphanages there. I have over one hundred photos stored in the New South Wales State Library archive. I had a solo exhibition held in 2007 entitled Ben’s Lens at the Sydney Jewish Museum which celebrated the vibrancy of the Sydney Jewish community. Some of these photos are on the Museum’s permanent display. I have exhibited internationally firstly at the Spruill Gallery in Atlanta Georgia, united states, and in an exhibition entitled Kosher and Co at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. Currently I am a regular contributor to J-Wire and this esteemed publication.