Congratulations to Dapeng Liu, who has been awarded the $20,000 Minderoo Foundation Spirit Prize at the 2026 Lester Prize for Portraiture for his painting Guido.
The portrait depicts arts patron and philanthropist Guido Belgiorno-Nettis AM. He wears a worker’s cap, a reference to his father’s early years as a young migrant worker. The judges, Alan Dodge AM, John McDonald and Bryony Nainby, noted that ‘Guido’s direct gaze conveys determination and an air of dignity.’ They also praised ‘the commanding scale of the face and the naturalistic rendering of skin through expressive, lively brushwork’, observing that ‘small details animate the portrait further, especially the white highlights in the eyes, which draw the viewer into direct engagement with the sitter.’
Dapeng was born in Beijing in 1982 and moved to Australia in 2007. His MA by research in art history at the University of Sydney examined traditional Chinese art and the modernisation of art in China. That study still shapes his practice, which returns again and again to mountains, water and the relationship between nature and people. He became a full-time artist in 2014 and is a three-time Archibald Prize finalist (2014, 2021 and 2022).
The Lester Prize is one of Australia’s richest portraiture prizes. This year it received more than 1,100 submissions, the most in its history, and 40 works were selected as finalists. Guido is on show with the other finalists at WA Museum Boola Bardip, Perth, until 29 November.
Guido, oil on linen, 92.3 x 67 cm
You can view Dapeng Liu’s work at Otomys 10am–5pm, Tuesday to Friday, or by appointment on Saturdays and Mondays.
