The cheeky Bald Archy Prize is back with everyone from Albo in his Rabbitohs jumper to Peter Dutton as Netflix sensation Wednesday to a gesticulating Gina Rinehart in this year's mix.
Regarded as Australia's premier satirical art prize, the Baldy Archy has not been staged since 2019, the same year its founder, Peter Batey, passed away.
The administration of the prize was handed to the Museum of the Riverina in Wagga Wagga, which is touring this year's 22 entries around the country, starting at the Watson Art Centre in Canberra.
The museum's manager Luke Grealy was in Canberra on Thursday to help open the exhibition which will be on show at the Watson Art Centre until March 12.
"Peter created the event in 1994 and he passed away in 2019, that was the last year it ran," Mr Grealy said.
"In his will he wanted to bequeath it to a public institution and the executors chose the Museum of the Riverina because we had a long relationship with Peter. It took a few years for his estate to settle, it was quite complex apparently. So this was the first chance we've had to stage it again."
This year's entries include one of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton who, it seems, can't cut a break, in a work called Wednesday's Child is Full of Woe (Apologies to Wednesday Addams) by Judy Nadin.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, by contrast, is kitted out in full South Sydney regalia as Rabbitoh Man, by James Brennan.
Other notables to get the Bald Archy treatment range from Maggie Beer to Ash Barty; Olivia Newton John (as the Mona Lisa aka Mona Livia) and one of mining magnate Gina Rinheart flipping the bird.
"It's just taking the mickey," Mr Grealy said of the Bald Archy's appeal.
"That great ancient of tradition of satire that goes back hundreds of years, the Australian sense of humour - if we can have a laugh at events and people, that's a good thing."
The entries and winner are, famously, selected by Maud the cockatoo, who apparently made an appearance last week at Pete Batey's graveside at the Coolac cemetery.
"Lo and behold, there was a cockatoo in the tree above us and as we called out, thinking it was Maud, it flew off, squawking over Peter's headstone," Mr Grealy said.
"I'm sure it was Maud."
- The Bald Archy Prize, Watson Art Centre, 1 Aspinall Street, Watson. Open daily 10am to 4pm.
