Chinese-born artist Adam Chang has taken home the 2011 Archibald People's Choice award for his portrait of acclaimed novelist and activist J.M. Coetzee.
Chang says he chose to paint the oil on canvas in red, the colour symbolising blood and violence, to bring attention to the war and unrest in modern society.
"When the art gallery called me last week to say I had the People's Choice, I couldn't believe it," Chang told reporters at the Art Gallery of NSW on Thursday.
"I migrated to Australia 14 years ago and I love this beautiful country very much."
Chang says he identifies strongly with the subject of his painting, John Coetzee, as they have both experienced violence and war yet retain a strong sense of compassion towards fellow beings.
"This is an area I am very keen on and my next series will also be concerned with war and with violence," he said.
"This is why I am using the colour red, this is going into a new era for me, to reflect violence in the world."
Born in Shanghai in 1960, the Sydney-based artist immigrated to Australia in 1997.
It's Chang's fifth time as a finalist in the Archibald Prize and his first time winning the People's Choice award, which is given to the painting voted as favourite by the viewing public.
A total of 113,000 people have visited the 2011 Archibald Prize and 22,593 have voted, choosing Chang over Ben Quilty's 2011 Archibald Prize-winning portrait of Margaret Olly.
The prize included $2500 and a $1000 ANZ Visa Debit card.
