Held at the Art Gallery of NSW, the Young Archie 2026 exhibition is a wonderful representation of how strongly young people continue to engage with art, even in an increasingly digital world.
Featuring portrait entries from across Australia, it brings together a wide range of perspectives from talented young artists aged 5-18, divided into four age divisions.
As an annual exhibition attracting large daily audiences, it is both accessible and widely relevant, uniting viewers of all ages.
The atmosphere is calm and inviting, encouraging visitors to slow down and spend time admiring each work. Standing in front of the portraits creates a sense of presence that you can’t get from viewing the works online. It also doubled as a social experience, as it was interesting to listen to the conversations between viewers and read the written responses displayed alongside each artwork. These reflections revealed how differently each person interpreted the same prompt of drawing a ‘special figure’ in their life.
A strong theme explored throughout the exhibition is love, shown in many different forms, from relationships with parents and siblings to grieving a grandparent, appreciating their best friend, and even discovering self-love. There is a natural contrast between pieces that feel warm and joyful and others that carry a more reflective or melancholic tone. It was heartening to see such wholesome pieces that felt true to the artists’ intentions.
Several pieces stood out as personal favourites. The Great Tomato Man by Maya Guimenez is an immediate eye-catcher, using bright colour and a playful sense of humour to portray her nonno and his love for growing tomatoes. It is especially impressive given she is only eight years old.
Lauren Blunden’s Between (winner in the 16–18 years category) is striking for its layered composition and subtle distortion, capturing the uncertainty of identity as she transitions into adulthood. Her reflection was deeply moving and the art itself was well executed, leaving a lasting impact on the viewer.
15-year-old Zoe Davis’s My Oma feels especially intimate, portraying her grandmother with care and tenderness. In her artist statement, she reflects on how rarely she sees her, yet they still remember and love one another, making the portrait meaningful and profound.
Valencia Aschner’s stunning artwork My MumDad stands out for its concept. She merged both parents into a single portrait and incorporated fragmented imagery to represent how she is a mosaic of both her loving parents.
Together, these works highlight the creativity and emotional range present throughout the Young Archie 2026 exhibition. With this year’s exhibition running from 9 May to 16 August 2026, it continues to showcase young Australian artists and their gorgeous portraiture.
