Finger painting of Australian virtuoso musician wins Archibald People's Choice
On Thursday, Spirovski was named winner of the 2025 Archibald Prize People's Choice award with a joyful portrait of yidaki (didgeridoo) virtuoso William Barton, painted entirely with gloved fingers and hands.
Director Maud Page said the portrait was painted under incredible duress and with resilience which captured the energy and spirit of Barton.
Spirovski said when she first met Barton she was too shy to ask him to sit for her and worried she might not be able to do his talent justice. 'I can never thank you enough Will.'
Barton sang and played his yidaki in celebration.
Spirovski had been inspired to throw her paintbrush away when she worked on Barton's portrait in her studio and played the musician's renowned composition, Birdsong at Dusk, as background music.
Spirovski had first asked Barton to sit for her after a concert last October at the Sydney Opera House featuring both Barton and Spirovski's husband, concert pianist Simon Tedeschi.
'As the music began, my hand set the brush aside, and I dipped my finger into the soft, pliant paint. I turned the volume up, the music guiding me,' she recounted. 'Without a brush, painting was almost painless. As the portrait painted itself, I felt alive in a way I hadn't for a very long time.'
Spirovski's tactile portrait was the clear favourite of 40,842 people who visited the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2025 exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW. This is the highest total number of votes ever received since the $5000 prize was first awarded in 1988.
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