Australia’s most celebrated art award has officially named its winner: six-time finalist and Melbourne-based artist Richard Lewer, for his striking portrait of Pitjantjatjara Elder, senior artist and ngangkari (traditional healer) Iluwanti Ken.
This year’s Archibald Prize winner and recipient of the $100,000 award is Richard Lewer, a seasoned Archibald finalist from New Zealand who has lived and worked in Melbourne since 1996.
Lewer has won the Archibald Prize for his portrait of Iluwanti Ken, a respected Pitjantjatjara Elder, senior artist and ngangkari (traditional healer), chosen from a field of 1,034 entries. The winners of the Archibald Prize are decided by the Art Gallery of NSW’s Board of Trustees, with Board President Michael Rose stating that they came to a “unanimous” decision on Lewer’s portrait when deciding the winner.
It’s one of those portraits that really has to be seen in person: the sheer scale of the work, combined with Iluwanti Ken’s commanding presence (what Lewer calls a “quiet authority”) against the deep orange backdrop, makes for a truly compelling piece of art.
Behind the “special” sitter, Iluwanti Ken
Both Richard Lewer and Iluwanti Ken attended the winner’s announcement, though Ken was there for more than just her role as sitter. She is also a finalist in the Wynne Prize for Nguntju Walawuruku manngu palapai ngura tjanampa (Mother Eagle makes a nest and home), a collaborative work created with LeShaye Swan and Justine Anderson.
Speaking about Ken, Lewer stated: “Everything’s special about her.”
“She’s a ngangkari, a healer… she is an important elder, she’s also an important artist in Australia… she just gives so much, so I wanted to kind of give back to her.”
Laughing about her feedback on the painting, Lewer tells us, “She was quite funny because she said, ‘Now how are you going to make me look? I want to look good and I want to look you know, a little bit younger and a little bit smiley’, so she put the pressure back on to me. I was quite nervous painting her!”
“We all want to look good, so I did feel a little bit of pressure, so I was happy that she was happy with the painting.”
The portrait is rendered life-size, and a yellow ochre ground evokes the heat, light and warmth of Ken’s Country, while her clothing reflects her love of bright colours and vitality. Flecks of paint on her arm acknowledge her as a working artist.
The making of the portrait
Late last year, in November, Lewer travelled to Amata in South Australia’s Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjar (APY) Lands to spend time with Ken at her art centre, Tjala Arts, and work alongside her.
Although the pair had known one another for years through shared exhibitions, being together on Country deepened Lewer’s understanding of the responsibilities Ken carries to her community.
Lewer told us that he had been there “probably four or five times now” and that each trip is “probably the best experiences that I have had in Australia.”
“It’s important to go and visit and to see how people like Iluwanti live and to be invested in their life.”
He spoke about the strong sense of community and routine among the APY artists, whose world he was immersed in for a week. “Everyone was up in the studio at 8:30, making a big cup of tea, straight into painting, just like I do in Melbourne or in my studio, so the morale was really good… it was a great productive studio, which is awesome.”
Lewer said that Ken “sat a number of times” and that he “did many drawings, many sort of preparatory note takings” however, it was the “conversations” he had with Ken that made him able to capture her in the painting.
Wynne and Sulman Prizes also announced
Alongside the announcement of Lewer’s victory, the winners of the Wynne Prize and Sulman Prize were also revealed. The Wynne Prize awards $50,000 for the finest landscape painting of Australian scenery or an exceptional figurative sculpture, while the Sulman Prize offers $40,000 for the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project.
Gaypalani Waṉambi wins Wynne Prize 2026
Yolŋu artist Gaypalani Waṉambi is the winner of the Wynne Prize for her etching on metal, The Waṉambi tree, depicting Wuyal, the ancestral honey hunter and an important ancestor of the Marrakulu clan.
Positioned at the centre of the exhibition space, the artwork immediately draws the eye, but when you move up close you can really see the astonishingly intricate detail of the piece.
A first-time Wynne Prize finalist, Waṉambi’s work was selected from 773 entries. Announcing the win, Rose shared that Waṉambi had recently told them the Waṉambi tree had begun to blossom, a beautifully full-circle moment.
Lucy Culliton wins Sulman Prize 2026
Lucy Culliton won the Sir John Sulman Prize for her work Toolah, artist model. The incredibly detailed painting of her rescue greyhound Toolah, reflects Culliton’s passion for rescuing animals in need. The tearful artist said, “I’m an animal rights person, and I hate the greyhound racing industry, so she’s my quiet protest.”
This is Culliton’s seventh time as a Sulman Prize finalist, with her 2026 winning work selected from 26 finalists. Born in Sydney, Culliton trained at Darlinghurst’s National Art School and has is known for her depictions of landscapes, still life and animals.
Packing Room Prize and People’s Choice
The winner of the Packing Room Prize, which carries a $3,000 award, was announced on May 7.
The prize (which is chosen by the Art Gallery of NSW staff who receive, unpack, and hang the entries) went to artist Sean Layh for his portrait of actor Jacob Collins, titled The tragicall historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke. Layh was inspired to create the work after seeing Collins perform the title role in Iain Sinclair’s 2024 Melbourne production of Hamlet.
The final prize up for grabs is the ANZ People’s Choice Award. Chosen by the public, the artist with the most votes will win a $5000 prize, and when you vote, you’ll go into a draw to win $2000. Simply connect to ‘People’s Choice’ wi-fi when you’re at the Art Gallery of NSW and complete the form.
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize 2026
Where: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Naala Nura building, Lower level 2, Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: Saturday, May 9, until Sunday, August 16, 2026.
Price: Adult $30, concession $27, family $70 (two adults + up to three youth), youth $10 (12-17 years), children under 12 enter free.
Visit on Wednesdays from 5pm to 10pm to get 2-for-1 on your tickets.
For more information, visit artgallery.nsw.gov.au
