We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of NSW stands.

Archibald Prize 1989

Entries: 332 (24 selected)
Sponsor: Coles Myer Ltd
Exhibition dates: 16 December 1989 to 28 January 1990
Only selected works were exhibited; each artist could submit up to two works

Robert Campbell Junior became the first known Indigenous artist to exhibit in the Archibald Prize.

For the first time the Gallery charged an admission fee ($3 full price, $2 concession and $6 for a family) for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes exhibition.

Vladas Meskenas, still in the process of suing Gallery director Edmund Capon over his remarks the previous year, won the People’s Choice award for his portrait of artist Donald Friend.