Richard Lewer wins 2026 Archibald prize for portrait of Iluwanti Ken
The Art Gallery of NSW trustees unanimously selected the work from 59 finalists, awarding the $100,000 prize to the New Zealand-born Melbourne artist.
The 2026 Archibald prize has been awarded to Richard Lewer for his portrait of Pitjantjatjara elder, traditional healer, and senior artist Iluwanti Ken. The announcement was made on Friday at the Art Gallery of NSW, where the finalist exhibition opens to the public on Saturday.
Lewer, a New Zealand-born Melbourne-based artist and six-time finalist, received the $100,000 prize for a life-size painting depicting Ken in bright clothing against a yellow ochre background. The work was selected unanimously by the gallery's trustees from a field of 59 finalists, who were whittled down from 1,034 entries.
In his acceptance speech, Lewer joked about no longer being referred to as a "six- or seven-time finalist" and admitted he felt nervous painting Ken. He noted that the elder had jokingly asked to look "a little bit younger and a little bit smiley," placing the pressure back on the artist. Lewer described spending time with Ken at Tjala Arts in Amata, in the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands of South Australia, stating that being on Country together deepened his understanding of her presence and the responsibilities she carries.
Gallery director Maud Page described the winning work as possessing "strength" and "poise," noting it captures the energy of an artist Lewer admires. Michael Rose, the director of the Art Gallery's board of trustees, added that the judges were immediately drawn to the portrait, which he described as powerful and energetic. Rose observed that the painting captures the energy of another artist that Lewer respects greatly, and one can sense that admiration within the frame.
The portrait itself depicts Ken in bright clothing, a choice that Lewer feels is inseparable from her spirit, set against a yellow ochre background that holds the intensity of the heat and light they were working in. Lewer explained that he painted her life-size so her presence meets the viewer directly, while traces of paint on her arm acknowledge her as a working artist who has just stepped out of the studio.
The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2026 exhibition runs until 16 August before beginning a regional tour across Victoria and New South Wales. Other notable finalists include musicians Daniel Johns and Jim Moginie, actor Marta Dusseldorp, and journalists Virginia Trioli and Jan Fran, alongside Adrian Jangala Robertson, who became a finalist across all three major prizes for the first time in this configuration.