Breaking: Portrait of Alex Ryvchin wins Archie People's Choice

Michael Zavros has won the People's Choice Award for the 2026 Archibald Prize for a portrait of Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.Zavros's win follows Richard Lewer winning the $100,000 Archibald Prize in May, for his portrait of Pitjantjatjara elder, artist and ngangkari (traditional healer) Iluwanti Ken. In April, Sean Layh won the Packing Room Prize, for his portrait of actor Jacob Collins in character as Shakespeare's Hamlet.Zavros is one of 59 finalists in this year's Archibald, alongside portraits of Bondi hero Ahmed Al Ahmed, Governor-General Sam Mostyn and former ABC journalist Virginia Trioli (Creative Types).Past winners of the People's Choice Award include Loribelle Spirovski for her finger-painted portrait of musician William Barton (2026), Angus McDonald for his portrait of academic Marcia Langton (2024), and Jaq Grantford for her portrait of actor Noni Hazlehurst (2023).The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2026 exhibition runs until August 16 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.