{{Short description|Australian artist}} {{About|Australian artist Whitney Duan|the Chinese billionaire|Duan Weihong}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Use Australian English|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Whitney Duan | image = File:Australian artist Whitney Duan at the Art Gallery of NSW 2025.jpg | image_size = | alt = Whitney Duan speaking at the Art Gallery of NSW, 2025 | caption = Whitney Duan at the Art Gallery of NSW, 2025 | birth_name = | birth_date = November 1994 | birth_place = Sydney, Australia | spouse = | education = University of Sydney | known_for = Portrait painting | movement = | works = | awards = | website = {{URL|https://whitneyduan.com/}} }}
'''Whitney Duan''' is an Australian visual artist and multiple Archibald Prize finalist.<ref>{{Cite web|title= About |url=https://www.whitneyduan.com/about|access-date=2025-05-05|website=Whitney Duan|language=en}}</ref> Duan is known for her portraits which typically feature unusual textures including sand and polymer paint on reclaimed canvases.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Art After Hours |url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/events/aah-aws25/|access-date=2025-05-05|website=Art Gallery of NSW - Art After Hours 2025|language=en}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Whitney Duan was born in Sydney to Chinese migrants. She completed high school at Ravenswood School for Girls before attending the University of Sydney, majoring in art history in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alumni and teacher both finalists in the 2024 Archibald Prize|url=https://www.ravenswood.nsw.edu.au/2024/06/11/alumni-and-teacher-both-finalists-in-the-2024-archibald-prize/|access-date=2025-05-05|website=Ravenswood School for Girls|date=11 June 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
At the University of Sydney, Duan held a number of editor roles: as editor of ''Hermes'' in 2014, editor of ''Arna'' in 2015, and editor for student publication ''Pulp'' in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hermes : an undergraduate's magazine|url=https://digital.library.sydney.edu.au/nodes/view/6395|access-date=2025-05-05|website=University of Sydney Library|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A year in the content mills |url=https://honisoit.com/2016/10/a-year-in-the-content-mills/|access-date=2025-05-05|website=Honi Soit|date=19 October 2016 |language=en}}</ref>
== Career == Duan's work often encompasses still life, landscapes, and portraiture.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Exploring Greek Influences: Archibald Prize 2024 Finalists|url=https://greekcitytimes.com/2024/06/05/exploring-greek-influences-archibald-prize-2024-finalists/|access-date=2025-05-05|website=Greek City Times|date=5 June 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Many of her works include textural elements and inclusions.
In 2024, Duan was a finalist in the Archibald Prize with a portrait of fashion designer Jordan Gogos, entitled ''Fluffy (Jordan Gogos)''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fluffy (Jordan Gogos)|url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2024/30643/ |access-date=2025-05-05|website=Art Gallery of NSW|language=en}}</ref> The work was known for its use of polymer paint to emphasize the textural strokes of Gogos’ work. The painting received mixed reviews.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A critic's pick of the best and worst of the Archibald Prize portraits|url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/a-critic-s-pick-of-the-best-and-worst-of-the-archibald-prize-portraits-20240610-p5jkjm.html |access-date=2025-05-05|website=Sydney Morning Herald|date=13 July 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
In 2025, Duan was a finalist in the Archibald Prize with her portrait of singer and artist Rainbow Chan, entitled ''Banquet (Rainbow Chan)''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Banquet (Rainbow Chan)|url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2025/30786/ |access-date=2025-05-05|website=Art Gallery of NSW|language=en}}</ref> This work featured gold leaf and sand mixed with oil paints on the canvas and received a positive reception upon exhibiting.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Archibald Prize is turning a corner. Just not yet |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/the-archibald-prize-is-turning-a-corner-just-not-yet-20250501-p5lvnr.html |access-date=2025-05-05|website=Sydney Morning Herald|date=May 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == Duan married writer Eden Caceda in Tuscany, Italy in June 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|title=This artist styled Danielle Frankel with hand-stitched shoes for her intimate wedding under the Tuscan sun|url=https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/news/whitney-duan-eden-caceda-wedding/image-gallery/233398442af1a88efe29eced061f66cf |access-date=2025-05-05|website=Vogue Australia|language=en}}</ref> She lives between Sydney, Australia and London, United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web|title=This artist styled Danielle Frankel with hand-stitched shoes for her intimate wedding under the Tuscan sun|url=https://www.instagram.com/whitneyduan/|access-date=2025-05-05|website=Whitney Duan - Instagram|language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://www.whitneyduan.com}} {{Portal bar|Australia|Visual arts}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duan, Whitney}} Category:Australian women artists Category:Australian women painters Category:Archibald Prize finalists Category:21st-century Australian women artists Category:21st-century Australian artists Category:University of Sydney alumni Category:Living people Category:1994 births