Gareth Sansom Wins Inaugural Sorrento Art Prize Worth $125,000

Celebrated Australian artist Gareth Sansom has been announced as the winner of the inaugural Sorrento Art Prize, receiving the $125,000 main award—making it the richest art prize in Australia.

At 85, Sansom also stands as the oldest shortlisted artist, reaffirming his influential position in the Australian art world after more than six decades of practice.

His winning work, I’ll go anywhere, is a striking multimedia painting that incorporates a 45rpm vinyl of Bored by the punk band Destroy All Monsters. The piece pays tribute to the band’s founders—artists Mike Kelley and Jim Shaw—whom Sansom considers artistic kindred spirits.

“Gareth Sansom, at the age of 85, is one of the most celebrated masters in contemporary art practice in Australia,” said judge Sasha Grishin. “In this piece, he combines wit with technical virtuosity to create a work that is quirky, visually exciting and exceptionally memorable.”

The victory continues Sansom’s remarkable late-career recognition, following his major retrospective at the National Gallery of Victoria.

The Sorrento Art Prize exhibition runs from 28 June to 31 August, showcasing 60 finalists selected from over 1,100 entries. Presented by & Gallery in Sorrento, the exhibition transforms the seaside village into a winter hub of contemporary Australian art.

The inaugural prize represents a significant addition to Australia’s art award landscape, offering the country’s largest monetary prize for contemporary art practice.