The art that made me: Richard Lewer

'It’s a big relief and celebration all in one go’, said Richard Lewer of his 2026 Archibald Prize win, ‘I’d seen past winners and known it was quite a crazy ride, and now I’m part of it.’ Lewer, a six-time Archibald Prize finalist, has now taken out the top award with his portrait of Pitjantjatjara Indigenous Elder, artist and traditional healer, Iluwanti Ken. The pair have known each other for several years and in the lead-up to her portrait, they spent time together on Country at Tjala Arts in the APY Lands, South Australia.

How did Ken respond to the news? ‘I got a big scream from her, which was great!’ said Lewer, ‘she said she was going to wear an orange hat to the opening, so she’d already worked out her outfit. It was pretty special.’ In this large-scale portrait, Ken stands front-and-centre in her trademark colourful clothes against a glowing background, suggesting the heat and light of her Country. Lewer said, ‘In person, Iluwanti is a small woman, but she carries immense, quiet authority. I painted her life-size, so her presence meets the viewer directly.’

Born in New Zealand, Lewer has lived in Melbourne since 1996. His work centres on people, their stories, experiences, and the broader human condition. When asked why he became an artist, Lewer responded, ‘I think it was something that burned within me. It wasn’t really a question of “maybe I’ll be an artist”, it was always going to be.’