1Earth Antiques & Appraisals Magazine > Art > Fine Art > Art Gallery > The Art Gallery of New South Wales > The Archibald Prize > The Archibald Prize Winner 2005

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			The Art Gallery of New South Wales   The Archibald Prize  WINNER OF THE 2005 ARCHIBALD PRIZE John Olsen Self portrait Janus Faced  The 2005 Archibald Prize has been won by John Olsen for his painting Self portrait Janus Faced. The Archibald Prize is now in its 84th year and Olsen received a prize of $35,000 for his win.   Australian artist John Olsen said: "I feel as if I've won the Melbourne Cup, but I feel better than the horse that did."  John Olsen’s artist statement about his Archibald self portrait comes in the form of a poem, which he wrote this year: John Olsen, Self Portrait Janus Faced Oil on Canvas 182x200cm Image Art Gallery of New South Wales  Janus Faced Sitting this afternoon in the studio,  Summer’s gone.  Now’s the time of freckled leaves & longer shadows.  Men & women after sixty  In slippered feet,  Pause on the stairs,  Janus faced.  Self delights in well worn brush  On an ancient palette.  Time trickles & avoids defeat. Janus Faced.   Janus is the Roman god of doorways, passages and bridges. In art he is depicted with two heads facing in opposite directions.  "I think that the poem casts light in dark places," says John Olsen of his portrait. "It informs the viewer. Janus had the ability to look backwards and forwards and when you get to my age you have a hell of a lot to think about."  "You have to be a certain age to be able to look at the past," Olsen said at the Art Gallery of NSW. Referring to the painting he said: "It's a setting sun, and I think that's appropriate."  "I'm looking towards an uncertain future, but I'll travel with it."  The Art Gallery of NSW director, Edmund Capon, said: "It's nice after the past few years when younger and, if you like, louder painters have won, to have him now in the annals of Archibald winners."  Artist John Olsen bio  Born in Newcastle in 1928, John Olsen, AO,  is often referred to as Australia's greatest living painter. In 1977 he was awarded the OBE for services to the arts and in 1993 an Australian Creative Fellowship. He won the Wynne Prize in 1969 and 1985 amongst many other awards throughout his long career. He received an Order of Australia (AO) in 2001.  John Olsen is represented in all State Collections and in regional galleries across the country. He is also represented in major public and private collections in Australia, Europe, the UK and the USA. Olsen was a finalist in the 1989 Archibald Prize with a self portrait in moments of doubt. ARCHIBALD, WYNNE, SULMAN & PHOTOGRAPHIC PRIZES  The Trustees also Highly Commended the work by  Nicholas Harding Bob's daily swim On view: Saturday 30 April to Sunday 3 July 2005  Art Gallery of New South Wales  Art Gallery Road  The Domain, Sydney  Telephone: (02) 9225 1744 or  recorded information (02) 9225 1790  National toll free 1800 679 278  Website www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au  Hours: 7 days a week 10am to 5pm  (closed Easter Friday and Christmas Day)  open until 9pm on Wednesdays  Admission: $8 / $6 concession/members