Marcus Wills (born 1972) is an Australian painter, winner of the 2006 Archibald Prize and finalist in many other art competitions.

His Archibald Prize winning painting was based on this print by Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder

Early life and education

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Wills was born in Kaniva, Victoria in 1972.[1]

He studied for an Advanced Certificate of Art and Design between 1989 and 1991 at the Wimmera Community College of TAFE (now Federation University Australia's Horsham Campus). He graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 1995.[2]

Career

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His work has been displayed in a number of exhibitions, and he has held solo exhibitions in Melbourne since 1992. He paints in the style which mixes figurative and realist styles.[1]

Awards

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He was the winner of the 2006 Archibald Prize for his painting of The Paul Juraszek Monolith, which was based on an engraving by Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder.[3]

In 2000, he won the second Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship.[4]

He has been a finalist in the Sir John Sulman Prize (2003, 2010 and 2013) and Wynne Prize (2010).[5]

He was a finalist of the Archibald Prize in 2015 with El cabeceo,[6] 2016 with The ersatz (James Batchelor).,[5] 2018 and 2020 with Requiem (JR) (Portrait of Jack Riley).

In 2017 he was again a finalist in the Archibald, with a portrait of filmmaker Thomas M. Wright called Antagonist, Protagonist (Thomas M. Wright). Wills set up the scene to look like a crime drama, with Wright as protagonist.[1]

He was a finalist for the 2024 Archibald Prize with a portrait of ballet dancer Callum Linnane.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Archibald Prize Archibald 2017 finalist: Protagonist, antagonist (Thomas M Wright) by Marcus Wills". Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Marcus Wills (1972-)". Federation University Australia. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  3. ^ Prior, Fiona (24 March 2006). "2006 Archibald Prize Winner". Henry Thornton. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011.
  4. ^ "Brett Whiteley Travelling Scholarship Winner 2000". Art Gallery of New South Wales. September 2000. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008.
  5. ^ a b "Archibald Prize Archibald 2016 finalist: The ersatz (James Batchelor) by Marcus Wills". Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Archibald Prize Archibald 2015 finalist: El cabeceo by Marcus Wills". Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Archibald Prize Archibald 2024 work: Callum by Marcus Wills". Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
Awards
Preceded by Archibald Prize
2006
for The Paul Juraszek Monolith
Succeeded by


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