29th
This is the 12th Real Refuses exhibition. Started in 1997 by Tony Johansen it has always been regarded as “the democratic Archibald”. The Archibald Prize is the biggest prize in Australasia for portraiture. Winning the prize brings fame and money but like the Salon in Paris it is regarded by artist’s as a closed ecosystem of favoratism and famous names. The Real Refuses represents all those struggling artists who have been rejected by the establishment for the official prize. No artist is ever rejected by the Real Refuses. It is about inclusiveness and giving all artists a chance. The first year people said it could never work, yet now, 12 years later, it is a respected part of the Archibald circus. Oh, the establishment likes to pretend we don’t exist, but the artists have embraced us and enjoy the empowerment that our simple exhibition offers.