This artwork was awarded the Lord Mayor’s Brisbane Portrait Prize in 2025

Australian street artist Fintan Magee grew up and began his career in Brisbane, Australia. He is now globally recognised for his large-scale contemporary murals in cities such as London, Vienna, Miami, Buenos Aires, Rome, and Moscow, to name a few. Eagleton first met Magee in Brisbane in 2010, back when he was studying fine art and painting graffiti. "We were heading out to paint an abandoned building when I asked him what he did for work. He said, 'What do you mean? I do this. I paint murals and make art.' That moment reframed my perspective, revealing that painting could be not just a passion, but a lifelong vocation."

In this painting, Magee is depicted twice within a studio setting, capturing two distinct aspects of his artistic identity. One figure is confident, present, and proud of the work he is creating. The second sits slumped, unsure and contemplative, as if keeping his face detached from the work, reflecting the life of a graffiti/street artist, where identity is secondary, and the work speaks louder than the face behind it. The muted yet richly layered colour palette further emphasises this focus, drawing attention back to Magee himself.

This piece captures Fintan Magee as both a renowned artist and a personal influence on me and many Brisbane artists.

Judge's Notes

Gus Eagleton’s portrait of fellow artist Fintan Magee is exceptionally accomplished conceptually and technically. The composition is testing – it pushes its subject to the very edge of the canvas, indeed beyond the picture plane, yet it is beautifully balanced. It is an unusual double portrait of the same subject, and its literal merging of the body to suggest only three legs instead of four is a captivating, intriguing anchor to the picture.

The sinuous line of Magee’s left arm is echoed by the supple linearity of the sofa and its patterned upholstery. Eagleton’s virtuoso painting of an everyday interior is the stage for a carefully and touchingly observed portrait of a friend. What I imagine and feel to be the essence of Magee’s character and nature emanates from the canvas, giving this work a special visual power and subtle energy.

Jason Smith, Director, Art Gallery of South Australia
Chief Judge, 2025

Medium:
Aerosol, synthetic polymer paint on canvas with a Tasmanian oak frame

Dimensions:
78 × 104 cm (31.10 × 40.94")