Julie Fragar’s triumph at the 2025 Archibald Prize is not just a personal milestone, but a powerful symbol of the evolving role of women in the Australian art world. The renowned artist’s portrait of her close friend, fellow artist Justene Williams, titled Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene), claimed the coveted $100,000 award, making Fragar the 13th woman to ever win the prize in its 104-year history. In a year that also saw Maud Page become the first woman to direct the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), Fragar’s win feels like a significant moment in time – one that reflects a changing tide in the traditionally male-dominated world of Australian art.
Speaking to ABC Arts, Fragar expressed her deep appreciation for the significance of this victory. “To have a painting of my close friend and to have a new woman at the helm of this incredible institution – it’s all come together in such a meaningful way,” Fragar said. The portrait, which depicts Williams in all her creative glory, is more than just a visual tribute to a friend; it encapsulates the multifaceted world of an artist whose work spans photography, video, performance, and even operas.
How did Julie Fragar and Justene Williams meet?
The two met during their early careers in the 1990s at the Sydney College of the Arts and have been friends ever since. Fragar wanted to capture the essence of Williams’ vast creative universe, something that seems to constantly expand. “Justene has always seemed to be looking just beyond this world, connecting with the things that are bigger than all of us,” Fragar shared. In her portrait, Williams is not only a figure from the art world but the centrepiece of a self-made cosmos, suggesting her influence reaches beyond the confines of a canvas.
The title of the work, Flagship Mother Multiverse, speaks to the profound nature of Williams’ practice and her ongoing artistic explorations. It is a nod to Williams’ New Zealand installation piece, Making Do Rhymes With Poo, where she used her own body in an endurance performance to create her art. In Fragar’s painting, Williams is depicted as a maternal figure – an artist whose creative energy births and nurtures entire worlds. Her face is serious, contemplative. Around her, the scattered elements of her work – her daughter Honore, pieces of performance art, and strange objects – seem to float in a chaotic yet beautifully ordered space. The monochromatic style of the painting allows Fragar to draw the viewer’s eye directly to the subject, while the details beneath her hint at the sprawling artistic world Williams has created.
How Are Women Artists Leading the Charge in the 2025 Archibald Prize?
For the first time in the competition’s history, more women artists were selected as finalists than men, marking a crucial step toward greater representation in the arts. Of the 59 people painted by finalists this year, 31 were women and non-binary individuals, while 28 were men. This year’s shift is a reflection of the growing recognition of women’s contributions to the Australian art scene.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
