Antinuclear

Dutton nuclear scheming depiction wins 2025 Bald Archy Prize

Region Riverina 29 March 2025 | Marguerite McKinnon

Despicable Ploy, by artist Phil Meatchem, has won the nation’s premier satirical art prize in Canberra. A Gru-inspired image of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton playing chess with some nuclear reactor pieces has taken out the 2025 Bald Archy Prize.

Mr Meatchem won the $10,000 prize for his painting after it was announced at the Canberra Potters and Watson Arts Centre.

Despicable Ploy is a satirical take on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s proposed nuclear power infrastructure plan.

“I’m not an artist with a strong political view. It was a simple idea of what looked like a pretty scary dude, to me at least, and these ominous looking nuclear monoliths,” Mr Meatchem said.

“It had been quite a while since I’d entered an art prize, and winning was a great surprise and a bit of lesson for me that, sometimes, you just have to have a crack.”………………………………………….. more https://regionriverina.com.au/dutton-nuclear-scheming-depiction-wins-2025-bald-archy-prize/87234/

March 30, 2025 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | art and culture