Richard Lewer has won the 2026 Archibald Prize with a portrait of Pitjantjatjara Elder and artist Iluwanti Ken. The winning portrait artist was announced this morning in a ceremony at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Before painting the portrait, the Melbourne-based artist spent time with Ken at Tjala Arts in Amata, in South Australia’s APY Lands. Rather than focusing only on her likeness, Lewer aimed to capture her presence as both an artist and community Elder.
Ken is known for her monochromatic drawings of eagles, or Tjilpul, which feature across her paintings, ceramics and ink works. Lewer said the birds symbolise protection, resilience and guidance, particularly for women and children, themes that informed the portrait’s calm but commanding tone.
The painting also includes small details that give it a more intimate feel, including flecks of paint left visible on Ken’s arm, showing her as a working artist rather than a formal subject. Its bright yellow background reflects the heat and light of the APY Lands, grounding the work in Country.
Accepting the award at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Lewer said he felt “a very lucky man” to have spent time with Ken and thanked her for welcoming him onto Country. He also spoke about the challenges of making art and the importance of support from family and community.
Lewer succeeds Brisbane-based artist Julie Fragar, who won the 2025 Archibald Prize with her oil painting, Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene). He is joined by 2026 Packing Room Prize winner Sean Layh.
Where to view it
The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2026 exhibition will be on display from 9 May until 16 August 2026 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Exhibit tickets and pricing information are available now on the AGNSW website.
Read the full artist statement
“I painted Iluwanti Ken, a Pitjantjatjara Elder, senior artist and Ngangkari (healer), following time spent with her at Tjala Arts in Amata, APY Lands, South Australia. Although we have known one another for several years through shared exhibitions and gallery representation, being on Country together deepened my understanding of her presence and the responsibilities she carries. Iluwanti paints with an urgency that I recognise.
Her work tells the stories of the Walawuru Tjukurpa, the story of the eagles. Birds appear in her drawings, paintings and ceramics as teachers of care, protection, provision and resilience, particularly for women and children. These lessons are lived as much as painted, and they shaped how I approached this portrait. I wanted the work to hold her strength and attentiveness, and reflect the way she watches over others. Our conversations moved between family life, daily routines, and memories of her husband, deeply respected in the community for the way he cared for people and encouraged health, purpose and responsibility.
We also spoke about the impact of the 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum. The sadness surrounding its outcome was palpable, reinforcing how much cultural knowledge, care and responsibility is carried by Elders like Iluwanti, and how fragile that knowledge can be if not respected and protected.
In person, Iluwanti is a small woman, but carries immense, quiet authority, felt immediately without being asserted. I painted her life‑size, so her presence meets the viewer directly. The yellow ochre background holds the intensity of the heat and light we were working in, without competing with her presence, allowing focus to remain on Iluwanti herself. She loves bright clothing, inseparable from her spirit, and traces of paint on her arm acknowledge her as a working artist, as if she has just stepped out of the studio.”
Where can I see more of his art?
You can follow Lewer on Instagram, or you can get in touch with the galleries that represent his work: Hugo Michell Gallery in South Australia, Jan Murphy Gallery in Brisbane, and Suite in New Zealand.
Feature image: Richard Lewer, ‘Iluwanti Ken’. Supplied: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.
