Archibald Prize 2026 was awarded to artist
Richard Lewer
¨
Archibald Prize 2026 was
awarded to artist Richard Lewer on 8 May 2026.
¨
The award was given for
his portrait of Pitjantjatjara elder Iluwanti Ken.
¨
The prize carried a cash
award of 100,000 dollars.
¨
The winning artwork was
selected from 1,034 entries.
¨
Archibald Prize is a
prestigious portrait award of Australia.
¨
It was established in
1921.
¨
The award is administered
by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
¨
It is presented annually
for portrait painting.
¨
Richard Lewer has been a
finalist for the Archibald Prize six times.
¨
He was nominated in 2017,
2020, 2021, 2022, 2025, and 2026.
¨
The winning portrait
depicts Iluwanti Ken.
¨
Iluwanti Ken is a
Pitjantjatjara elder and senior artist.
¨
She is also recognised as
a “Ngangkari,” a term used for a traditional healer in central Australia.
¨
The 2026 Archibald,
Wynne, and Sulman Prize exhibition opened to the public on 9 May 2026.
¨
The exhibition is being
held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
¨ The exhibition features 59 finalist artworks.
¨ The exhibition will continue until 16 August 2026.
