They are the images both art lovers and neophytes flocked to see.
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But it was the intense portrait of a pork roll maker from Vietnam that stole the hearts and minds of the Maitland community.
As the hugely popular Archibald Prize left the grounds of Maitland Regional Art Gallery, the work of comedian and artist Ahn Do has been hailed as the winner of the city’s people’s choice award.
“The people here loved this portrait of Ahn’s father, which was different to the response in Sydney, where the people there voted Vincent Fantauzzo’s piece as their favourite,” gallery deputy director Brigette Uren said,
“So that’s been very interesting.”
Do came to Australia as a refugee with his family in 1980.
“I had everything set up to paint a famous comedian friend. But I knew I had to paint my dad. I painted in a day, cried a lot and was emotionally spent at the end,” he said.
More than 12,000 people have visited the gallery during the past five weeks to view the 54 portraits of the Archibald Prize 2014, in the most successful exhibition the gallery has staged.
“The Archibald is popular because it’s made up of huge paintings and, in the most part, people recognise most of the figures,” Ms Uren said.
The summer arts program for 2014/15 also generated a 93 per cent increase in gallery membership and a staggering 300 per cent increase in volunteer applications, Ms Uren said.
“We’ve also noticed a 280 per cent increase in social media participation, which is huge,” she said.
“This all shows that Maitland is growing up with the gallery or the gallery is growing up with the community.”