Doug Moran Portrait Prize

July28th

Young man as an artist

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With his hands deep in his pockets, his light frame shifting from foot to foot, Vincent Fantauzzo looks down at the parquetry floor, and he looks nervous. He says he is nervous, too, this Tuesday morning in an upstairs gallery at the State Library of New South Wales, as he awaits the announcement of the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize a $150,000 award the young painter is hoping to win, and easily the wealthiest prize of its type in the world. The 33-year-old Melbourne artist has agreed to let us tag along today to get a sense of life inside the quest for an annual art prize, but for now he wants...


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July16th

Vincent Fantauzzo wins Doug Moran Prize

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Vincent Fantauzzo, Off Screen. 9 May 2011 | Vincent Fantauzzo has won the 2011 Doug Moran National Prize for Portraiture. Fantauzzo’s depiction of Australian film and theatre director Baz Luhrman was selected the winner by judges, Louise Doyle, director of the National Portrait Gallery and artist Michael Zavros. Fantauzzo, who is both a chef and artist and once wanted to be a boxer, chose Luhrmann as his subject because he wanted to convey the commitment, passion and vulnerability of people working within the creative industries. Nicholas Harding with his work of Rex Irwin titled...


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May4th

Baz Luhrmann congratulates 2011

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Congratulations from Baz Luhrmann for winning the 2011 Doug Moran Prize.


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May4th

Painter draws win from luhrmann’s weakness

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Here's a private side to Baz Luhrmann that is rarely made public. It's all about "creative stress", and it's this aspect of the renowned filmmaker Vincent Fantauzzo tried to capture in his painting, Off Screen. "This is a moment where Baz is very vulnerable and anxious, and (feels he is) being judged," he said. Fantauzzo's work was yesterday named the winner of the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, which at $150,000 is the nation's richest art prize. According to Fantauzzo, one of Luhrmann's more vulnerable moments occurred after the critical reception to his 2008 film Australia....


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May3rd

2011 Moran Prizes Winners

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A short video about the 2011 Doug Moran Prize winners.


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May3rd

Baz Luhrmann in front of the Vincent’s portrait at the Studio

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The painting entitled "Off Screen" shows the Moulin Rouge director in a vulnerable moment, with his head in his hands.


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May3rd

Vincent’s painting of director Baz Luhrmann

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"Baz comes across as a very confident person and a confident artist ... I got to see him at a time when he is really vulnerable and his guard is down," Fantauzzo said as he accepted the prize at the NSW State Library on Tuesday. The announcement was followed by a congratulatory video message from the director of Moulin Rouge and Australia. "I was under incredible creative stress at that time," Luhrmann said from New York. He said a number of photographs were taken of him, "but of course that would be the image that Vincent chose". Read more on the ninemsn website


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May3rd

2011 Moran Prizes were announced Today

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The winners of this year’s 2011 Moran Prizes were announced TODAY (3 May 2011) at the State Library of NSW, selected from an outstanding field of 122,910 entries. "My painting is a portrait of Baz Lurhmann , Oscar-nominated filmmaker Baz Luhrmann has made some of the most influential contemporary film, theatre and music of the past twenty years but is also one of my closest friends. We often chat about making art and have collaborated many times. Baz, I think has a quite expressive face but at this moment when Baz had his hands over his face a time where the pressure of making art and sharing...


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May3rd

Vincent’s painting of filmmaker Baz Luhrmann has won the 2011 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.

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A life-like painting of filmmaker Baz Luhrmann has won Australia's richest portrait prize. The painting entitled Off Screen shows the Moulin Rouge director in a vulnerable moment, with his head in his hands, and won artist Vincent Fantauzzo $150,000. "Baz comes across as a very confident person and a confident artist ... I got to see him at a time when he is really vulnerable and his guard is down," Fantauzzo said as he accepted the prize at the NSW State Library. The announcement was followed by a congratulatory video message from the director of Moulin Rouge and Australia. "I was under...


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