Richard Lewer is named the 2026 Archibald Prize winner for his portrait of Iluwanti Ken, a Pitjantjatjara elder, senior artist and ngangkari (traditional healer). Multiple outlets report that the award is announced at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, with the winner taking home a $100,000 prize. The judging panel, described by The Guardian as made up of the gallery’s trustees, selects the work unanimously from a shortlist drawn from 1,034 entries. Lewer, who is based in Melbourne and described as New Zealand-born, is also reported as having previously been a finalist in the Archibald Prize multiple times.
Several sources note that Iluwanti Ken is associated with Tjala Arts in South Australia’s APY Lands, and that her large-scale drawings are a prominent part of her artistic practice. SBS also reports that Lewer spends time on Country with Ken in the APY Lands to inform the portrait. The finalist exhibition is set to open at the Art Gallery of New South Wales the following day.
