Percivals 2026 prize winners announced

The winners of The Percivals 2026 have been announced at the exhibition launch event on Saturday night.

The winner of The Percival Portrait Painting Prize is Elena Churilova for her piece Smartphonisation, or Gateway to Inner Reality.

The winner of The Percival Photographic Portrait Prize is Cassandra McMahon for her piece Empty Vessel.

The winner of The Percival Animal Portrait Prize is Catherine Stewart for her piece Eye on the Weather.

Councillor Ann-Maree Greaney launched the exhibition and said the artworks were outstanding.

“The calibre of this year’s entrants into The Percivals is remarkable. It’s been such a pleasure to meet with the artists and their loved ones at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery to celebrate their achievements,” Cr Greaney said.

“I’d like to again extend my warmest congratulations to Elena, Cassandra and Catherine for their wins. They have created beautiful, interesting pieces that have consistently stood out to our shortlisting panel and our judges.

“Now that The Percivals is officially launched, I’d love to see as many people as possible head to Perc Tucker Regional Gallery and make the most of visiting this free exhibition.”

Percival Portrait Painting Prize judge Sasha Grishin said the artworks exhibited in The Percivals outshone many other premier art events.

“I’ve judged many, many art shows here and abroad and when you judge them, you lack bias, there is no agenda. Certainly the finalists are all very formidable painters,” Mr Grishin said.

“The piece that finally won really won in all the categories. When it comes to judging I ask myself three very basic questions: what is the artist trying to do in her work? How successful is she at achieving the goals she has set herself? And finally, the third question is one that people often don’t want to ask: was it worth doing?

“The smartphone has changed a lot of ways we think about the world. I think what Elena does in her work, she asks the question of whether the smartphone starts to erode our personalities in that we’re no longer really who we are. You’ve got a slight unease, the scraping of fingernails on a rough surface, presenting this slightly uncanny feeling.

“For all of these reasons I thought this was a strong work. It’s a slow burner.”

To find out more about The Percivals and to see the winners head to The Percivals website.