Australian artist Michael Zavros has won the 2026 Archibald Prize People’s Choice Award for Alex with His Tefillin in the Sea, an intimate portrait of Jewish community leader Alex Ryvchin created in the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack.

The emotionally charged painting explores grief, faith and cultural continuity. A record 45,769 visitors voted in this year’s People’s Choice competition, making the result both a major art story and a significant cultural moment. [Source]