First look: The Archibald Prize 2025 Finalists and Packing Room Prize Winner have been announced

• Abdul Abdullah is the 2025 Packing Room Prize winner, with his artwork No mountain high enough.
• The $3000 prize is awarded to the best entry in the Archibald Prize, as judged by the gallery staff who receive and unpack the artworks.
• The finalists for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes have also been announced, as well as the Young Archie 2025.

More than 2,390 artists entered their creations into this year’s Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize and, today, we were among the first to see the incredible artworks hand-picked by the Trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW. The 57 Archibald finalists have been announced, along with the winner of the highly-anticipated Packing Room Prize.

The Art Gallery staff who receive, unpack and hang the entries vote for their favourite of the Archibald works, with the Head Packers casting the deciding vote. Alexis Wildman, one of the Head Packers, explained that it’s not a simple case of admiring artworks—they “have to get [their] hands dirty”. She continued, “It’s hard work, but it’s fun and rewarding getting to see 2,000 works coming through the door and getting to unwrap them and be a part of the process.”

As well as the coveted title, the winner of the Packing Room Prize walks away with $3000 prize.

Abdul Abdullah is this year’s Packing Room Prize winner

This year, the Packing Room Prize-winner is Abdul Abdullah, selected for his portrait of fellow artist and “best friend” Jason Phu, who is a two-time Wynne finalist, the winner of the 2015 Sulman Prize and is also a finalist in this year’s Archibald Prize.

Titled No mountain high enough, Abdullah’s winning artwork is a striking depiction of Jason on horseback. We heard from the Head Packers on why the team chose Abdullah’s portrait:

We were instantly drawn to Abdul Abdullah’s portrait of Jason Phu. Both are accomplished artists whose works have a distinct style and engage with complex social and cultural themes using wit and cartoonish references. On a technical level, this portrait is very well painted. It really captures the essence of the subject with the image of a lone ranger, an intrepid jokester or a quiet hero navigating the rocky terrain of today’s social climate. This immediately sparked conversation among the Packing Room team. They’re both very strong artists in their own right, with Jason also being a finalist, and within that, there’s an amazing connotation of strength within the art community.

— Alexis Wildman, Head Packer

Speaking about his friendship with Jason, Abdul says ‘We talk on the phone every day, he was the best man at my wedding.’ If you walk a few steps round the exhibition, you’ll be able to see the bright artwork by Abdul’s sitter, which earned Jason Phu a finalist spot. He painted a captivating portrait of actor Hugo Weaving.

Selecting from thousands of entries, you’d think it would be a tough choice for the Packing Team, but apparently not: “This one was pretty unanimous,” said Wildman. “I think we had a top ten, and we were able to break it down and go through them all, discussing why we like them.”

Abdullah has been a finalist for the Sulman Prize five times before. Speaking on his win, he said, “I see it as a sort of community prize, where the Packing Room team, which is made up of professional art handlers—many of whom are artists themselves—get to pick a painting they like. I am so glad they picked this one. It’s kind of like an artists’ pick, and I’m extra happy for that.”

Exclusive look at The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes Finalists

We were granted early access to get a first look at some of the finalists’ artwork. You can see them for yourself from next Saturday, May 10, when the exhibition opens. It will display at the Art Gallery of NSW until Sunday, August 17. Lucky for you, however—read on for your own sneak peek at some of the selected artworks.

Archibald Prize Finalists

The Archibald Prize is awarded annually to the best portrait of prominent figures from music, journalism, media, stage and screen. There’s activism, politics and humour—some showing joy, some showing sadness. The winning artist, who will be announced next Friday, May 9, will receive $100,000 in prize money.

Wynne Prize Finalists

The Wynne Prize is for landscape painters and figurative sculptors. It is the oldest of the three prizes, first awarded in 1897 in honour of opening the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ south building, and features an incredible blend of urban and natural landscapes. There is a strong representation of First Nations artists in the Wynne Prize, too, who bring distinctive perspectives to light.

This year there were over 750 entries, and the winner will receive $50,000.

Sulman Prize Finalists

Each year, a guest judge selects the artwork they consider to be the best subject painting, genre painting or mural by an artist resident in Australia. This year, Sydney-based artist Elizabeth Pulie has chosen the 30 works on display for the Sulman Prize. More than 60 per cent of the artists included are being shown for the first time, an exciting insight into the new generation of emerging artists, who continue to forge their own way.

The winner of the Sulman Prize receives a $40,000 reward.

The 2025 Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize Exhibition

Where: Art Gallery of NSW, Naala Nura, Major exhibition gallery, Lower Level 2 Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: Saturday, May 10 until Sunday, August 17, 2025.
Price: Adult $25, youth (12-17 years) $13, concession $22, member $20.

On Wednesdays, visitors from 5pm-10pm can book two tickets for the price of one.

Find out more at artgallery.nsw.gov.au