AN ARTWORK of Australia’s highest-ranking member of the catholic church has taken home the top award at the Bald Archy Prize.
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The portrait of Cardinal George Pell sporting a devil’s tail with a phallic-shaped nose was the perfect example of the “larrikin, irreverent Australian sense of humour” that the awards embody, founder Peter Batey said.
The first-time entrant, titled Nothing To Say, was by Victorian artist Pat Hudson.
Gundagai-based Mr Batey said the ethos of the awards, now in their 22nd year, was “anything goes”.
“It’s been one of the best years,” he said. “[Hudson’s work] it’s very funny, it pushes a very terrific statement to make.”
The boundary-pushing artwork had only received two complaints thus far, all received on Saturday.
But another work from this year’s selection depicting a naked Malcolm Turnbull and Queen Elizabeth had attracted hundreds of emailed complaints.
“Art should be provocative,” Mr Batey said. “It should make people think.”
