‘I drew my dad because I love him’: Young Archie winners announced

A self-portrait representing adolescent struggle in the transition to adulthood, two drawings of a “loved” dad, and a cousin’s dual identities have been selected as winners of the Young Archie competition at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney.

More than 4300 aspiring artists entered portraits into the competition, which is now in its 14th year. Seventy finalists were selected across four age categories, with the winners announced on Saturday.

Five-year-old Christian Pisarkiewicz, of Greystanes, was the youngest category winner (five-eight year olds) for his graphite and watercolour pencil on paper. He chose to draw his dad “because I love him, and he loves me”.

Parents Amanda and Matthew Pisarkiewicz said they were delighted and surprised at their son’s win. “The school put something in a paper, and we thought: why not enter,” Amanda said. “We’re very proud.”

Nine-year-old Hugo Hui, of Helensvale, Queensland, also won for a portrait of his dad, Phillip. He entered the nine- to 12-year-old category and pictured his dad in front of the family car. Hugo said he drew his dad driving him to a soccer match because “he always takes me to school and drives me everywhere”.

Hugo said it felt “great” to win, and that he wanted to continue creating art.

In the 13- to 15-year-old category, Viraj Tandon, 14, of Longueville, won for a portrait of his cousin Angad, a psychiatrist and DJ. Viraj said his work highlighted the “harmony between two identities”, with Angad’s reflection in a glass.

“I love the contrasting elements of him cleansing his soul through helping others [as a psychiatrist], and through entertainment [as a DJ]. It’s a nice duality,” Viraj said.

It’s the second time his work has been featured in Young Archie.

Lauren Bunden, of North Kellyville, won the 16- to 18-year-old category for her self-portrait of adolescent transition. The piece narrates “the struggle when grappling with identity, passions and pursuits”, using overlapping figures and visual distortion to express how parts of the self can exist “without clarity and certainty that has not yet been achieved”.

It’s Bunden’s third appearance as a finalist and her first win. She said the work, which took her about 50 hours to draw, was inspired by her struggle to decide what to do after high school.

“My work is about identity, exploring the transition into adulthood, balancing art passion and career paths and deciding what to do with the future,” she said.

The 18-year-old said she has struggled to decide on pursuing art or engineering at university. She chose engineering so that art “remained a passion”, she said.

Wayne Tunnicliffe, the gallery’s director of collections and exhibitions, said the competition fostered “curiosity, confidence and visual literacy”.

The finalists comprised a mix of single, double and even triple portraits, including 12 self-portraits, six mums, 10 dads, one sister, seven brothers, five friends, three teachers, eight granddads, five grandmas, four uncles and a couple of cousins, he said.

“As always, the portrait showed the influence of connection and the admiration these young artists had for their family and community.”

Victoria Collings, the family programs manager, told finalists that it was always difficult to choose a winner, this year judged by artist Jumaadi.

“When I talk to colleagues in the gallery, and I get them to point to their favourite artwork in Young Archie, all of them will point to something different,” Collings said. “You are all amazing. You’ve all done an incredible achievement to get here.”

The winners receive a $200 cash prize, an art hamper, a family pass to a ticketed exhibition at the gallery and an Archibald Prize 2026 catalogue book. Finalists received the catalogue and $50.

The 70 Young Archie finalists will be on display until August 1 in a free exhibition alongside the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes.

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