Peter Wegner (Australian artist)

Peter Wegner (born 1953) is a Melbourne-based figurative painter, sculptor, and draughtsman. His work hangs in many galleries in Australia, and he is known for winning the Archibald Prize in 2021.

Early life and education

Peter Wegner was born in 1953.[1]

He gained a fine arts degree in 1985,[1] and obtained a postgraduate diploma in 1988[2] from the Phillip Institute of Technology. In 2007 he completed a Master of Fine Arts at Monash University.[1]

Career

After Wegner exhibited his work in a in group exhibition in 1977, having had no training in art, he was awarded a two-year A.M.E. Bale residential painting scholarship under Sir William Dargie.[1]

After gaining his degree and diploma, he started lecturing in the Drawing Department of Ballarat University, and has also since been a visiting lecturer at La Trobe, Monash and RMIT universities.[1][2]

Exhibitions

Wegner has held many solo exhibitions since 1982 and his work has been included in many group exhibitions.[1]

• Dobell Prize for Drawing, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2012[1]
• BP Portrait Prize, National Portrait Gallery, London and Edinburgh, 2012[1]
• Archibald Prize finalists, 2011[1]
• Archibald Prize finalists, 2020
• Archibald Prize winner, 2021[3]

Awards

• 2021 Winner Archibald Prize[2]
• 2016: Rick Amor Prize for small drawings, Art Gallery of Ballarat, for Three Days with EM[4]
• 2013: Winner, Gallipoli Art Prize[1]
• 2006: Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, for Wounded Poet 2006 (Graham Doyle)[5]
• Four-time finalist in the Archibald Prize.[6]
• 1978-1980: A.M.E. Bale residential painting scholarship under Sir William Dargie[1]

Public collections

Wegner's work is held in public collections including:

• National Portrait Gallery (Canberra)
  • Don Argus (2004)[7]
  • Jacques Miller (2002)[8]
  • Victor Smorgon (2000)[9]
  • Graeme Clark (2000). As an etching,[10] profile,[11] and portrait.[12]
  • John Marsden (1998)[13]
• Art Gallery of New South Wales[1]
• National Library of Australia[1]
• Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery[1]
• Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne[1]
• State Library of Victoria[1]
• Castlemaine Art Museum[14]

References

1. "Peter Wegner, b. 1953". National Portrait Gallery. 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
2. "Peter Wegner". Australian Galleries. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
3. "Archibald prize 2021: Grace Tame, Ben Quilty, Eryn Jean Norvill and more – in pictures". The Guardian. 27 May 2021. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
4. "Peter Wegner wins the Rick Amor Drawing Prize". Daily Review. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
5. "Finally, painter gets the big prize with portrait of a wounded poet - National". www.theage.com.au. 15 March 2006. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
6. "Peter Wegner: John Wolseley :: Archibald Prize 2016". Art Gallery NSW. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
7. "Don Argus, 2004". National Portrait Gallery collection. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
8. "Jacques Miller, 2002". National Portrait Gallery collection. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
9. "Victor Smorgon, 2000". National Portrait Gallery collection. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
10. "Professor Graeme Clark, 2000". National Portrait Gallery collection. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
11. "Professor Graeme Clark (profile), 2000". National Portrait Gallery collection. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
12. "Portrait of Professor Graeme Clark, 2000". National Portrait Gallery collection. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
13. "John Marsden, 1998". National Portrait Gallery collection. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
14. "Peter Wegner (b.1953)". Castlemaine Art Museum Collection Online. Retrieved 2 September 2023.

External links

• Official website
• "Peter Wegner" (PDF). Australian Galleries. 9 March 2022. (Curriculum vitae)

Awards
Preceded by Vincent Namatjira	Archibald Prize 2021 for Portrait of Guy Warren at 100	Succeeded by Blak Douglas