wow factor

It's that time of the year. Portrait art meets the masses, the punters and everyone with an opinion about art.

Archibald 2009 Portrait Competition

Best portrait painting preferentially of some man or woman distinguished in Art, Letters, Science or Politics

The warm up prize has already been decided.
Archibald Prize 2009: Packing Room Prize Winner

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2009 Packing Room Prize winner. Paul Jackson's Flacco’s chariot

The Packing Room prize gives the Gallery staff who receive the entries for Archibald the chance to vote for their favourite Archibald portrait. This is the Gallery’s head storeman, Steve Peters’ 25th Archibald Prize and his 18th Packing Room Prize

The full online presentation of the Archibald Finalist are here.
I agree with the bookmakers that Guy Maestri's Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu may win.

Update: The winner is..
Guy Maestri's painting of Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu as featured below.

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Guy Maestri's Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu