Richard Lewer wins Archibald Prize 2026

Friday, 8 May 2026 15:55

Melbourne-based artist Richard Lewer has won the Archibald Prize 2026 for his portrait of Pitjantjatjara Elder, senior artist and ngangkari (traditional healer) Iluwanti Ken.

The work was selected from 1034 entries, whittled down to 59 finalists, which are on display at the Art Gallery of NSW.

The life-size portrait shows Ken, an artist herself and Wynne Prize finalist, in bright colours with flecks of paint on her arms, against a yellow ochre ground.

A New Zealand-born artist, Lewer is a six-time Archibald finalist.

"I am really proud, both for Iluwanti and for myself," Lewer said.

"I feel deeply humbled to have won the Archibald Prize, and especially happy that this recognition brings a spotlight to Iluwanti, which was always my intention with this portrait. Iluwanti is the most beautiful woman, and it was a complete treat to spend time with her and to be able to paint her on Country.

"I hope this work recognises her role as a healer, artist and custodian of the knowledge she carries and so generously shares."

Art Gallery director Maud Page lauded Lewer's "masterful control of paint".

"He presents Iluwanti Ken as if she's emerging out of the ochre, with no conventional perspective, yet her presence as both an artist, healer and matriarch is powerfully realised.

"Her eyes are particularly striking – her gaze is direct and conveys her strength and warmth."

The Archibald Prize is Australia's most prestigious art prize and is awarded annually to the best portrait of a person distinguished in art, letters, science or politics painted by any artist resident Australasia.

The winners of the Wynne Prize 2026 for landscape painting and Sulman Prize 2026 for subject or genre painting were also announced.

Yolŋu artist Gaypalani Waṉambi won the Wynne Prize 2026 and $50,000 for her etching on metal, The Waṉambi tree, depicting Wuyal, an important ancestor of the Marrakulu clan.

Lucy Culliton won the Sir John Sulman Prize 2026 and $40,000 for her work Toolah, artist model, an intricately detailed painting of Toolah, one of her beloved rescue greyhounds.

This is Culliton's seventh time as a Sulman Prize finalist, with her 2026 winning work selected from 26 finalists.

First-time Archibald finalist Sean Layh won the Packing Room Prize for his portrait of actor Jacob Collins.

Layh saw Collins in the title role of Iain Sinclair's 2024 production of Shakespeare's Hamlet at Melbourne's fortyfivedownstairs theatre and reached out to Collins to see if he would reprise the role for a portrait.

"It was performed by candlelight in a tight physical setting and blended Hamlet's dark introspection with the plot's spooky supernatural undercurrent," Layh said.

Below is a selection of the 59 Archibald Prize finalists currently on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.