The atmosphere in the Media Relations office and the Marketing office next door is electrified with anticipation. The Trustees make the decision after a final viewing of the exhibition of the Archibald Finalists at 8am that morning. That gives the Archibald winner only a few short hours, once they are notified and the news has sunk in, to prepare for facing the media and have something succinct and possibly humorous to say. The winner is informed just after 9am, where as the announcement is at 12.
Susanne Briggs, Media Relations Manager, had to make the call to previous Archibald winners. “You often get them out of bed and the reactions are often mixed,” she said.
One recipient who will remain nameless, kept swearing in disbelief, another thought it was a prank and couldn’t believe that the news wasn’t a joke.
Claire Martin calls Sam Leach, the Archibald winner for 2010, the 89th winner of the Archibald prize. For Sam Leach it is disbelief mixed with joy and a feeling that it’s about time. He has been an Archibald finalist for the last four years.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment