The Percivals 2026

About the Artwork

THE BAN. Our childhood is deeply shaped by technology and screens.

Our parents try to follow strict rules and routines to limit screen time and control what we see, yet screens remain ever-present.

I wanted to draw attention to this issue for both adults and children—Angel or Devil? Screens allow us to communicate and create powerful images, but they also open a doorway to an artificial world that can quietly take over our attention.

Dark and blurred, the image asks where we should draw the line, and what impact the Australian Government’s ban may have on the next generation.

I chose to create a self-portrait with my brother. The phone is held in my hands—a symbol of control, but also of responsibility, representing both happiness and frustration.

About the Artist

Alan Leparq Potokar is a 12-year-old, Grade 7 student, studying at Grammar School North Ward, Townsville. He has a little brother named William (also depicted in this work). They are French-Australian and have lived in many countries so far—France, England, Polynesian Islands, and Australia (including Tasmania and Queensland).

Alan says: “I love karate, pushbike, building things, Lego, and playing on the Strand. I won a poetry competition in Wallis-and-Futuna, and had multiple Behaviour Awards at school, even if I dislike it!”