Richard Lewer After the Archibald Win + Excerpts from Our 2025 Conversation

Watch a 2 minute highlights video of this episode on the YouTube channel here

In this special episode of Talking with Painters, I’m bringing you my conversation with Richard Lewer recorded shortly after he was announced as the winner of the 2026 Archibald Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Richard won Australia’s most prestigious portrait prize for his powerful portrait of artist and Pitjantjatjara elder Iluwanti Ken, a striking full-length painting set against a powerful ochre background inspired by time spent with Iluwanti on country.

I also share some of my favourite parts from my longer 2025 conversation with Richard, where he talks about growing up in New Zealand, using art as a form of escape as a child, painting deeply personal works about family and grief, and creating his exhibition Steve, currently showing at the National Gallery of Australia. Along the way we also discuss this year’s Wynne and Sulman Prize winners, including works by Gaypalani Wanambi and Lucy Culliton.

Links

• Video highlights on YouTube
• Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes Exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW
• ‘Steve’ showing at the National Gallery of Australia
• Full 2025 interview with Richard Lewer
• Worse luck I’m still here, 2014, video and animation
• Talking with Painters on Instagram
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• Talking with Painters on Facebook

 

‘Iluwanti Ken’Synthetic plolymer paint on canvas198cm x 198cmWinner 2026 Archibald PrizeImage: Art Gallery of NSW

‘The Waṉambi tree’ by Gaypalani Waṉambispray paint on etched steel240cm x 240cmWinner Wynne Prize 2026Image: Art Gallery