We went to the Archibald and this is the art we’re buying now

A home without art feels like a stylish outfit with no jewellery, or a band that doesn’t have a drummer. There’s an extra flourish of personality missing that can be felt by everyone in the space. But how do you decorate with art if you don’t know what styles you like? There are so many art movements, all with similar names, and you shouldn’t need an art history degree to decipher it all. That’s where the Archibald Prize comes in.

You see, we’ve done the hard work for you. We’ve taken 10 of our favourite pieces from the 2026 exhibition and found similar artworks you can shop right now.

How to find art you actually like

We’ve selected 10 very different pieces from the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes and found more than 40 similar pieces that you could shop right now. We provide background information on styles and medium, which you could use to do more research, or you can just go with your gut.

When in doubt, ask yourself two questions. Does it make you feel something? Do you like it? That’s genuinely all that matters.

How to see the Archibald Prize for half price

Every Wednesday the Art Gallery of NSW stays open late. Called ‘Art After Hours’, the special program includes access to the art gallery, special performances and events. Right now, you can get 2-for-1 entry tickets to the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes. To buy tickets, click here.

Scroll through the artworks or jump straight to particular styles and art movements:

1. Modern realism
2. Contemporary figurative realism
3. Maximalism
4. Portraiture with interiors
5. Contemporary abstraction
6. Pop art
7. Postmodern mixed media
8. Contemporary expressionism
9. Geometric abstraction
10. Minimalist portraiture

1. Modern realism (with pets as the subject matter)

Sulman Prize winner Lucy Culliton

This painting uses a traditional portrait composition, with a seated subject and close backdrop, then surprises viewers with the subject itself. Instead of a human, the subject is the artist’s pet dog, Toolah, and she is as regal as any human model. This is an oil on canvas painting which is also a traditional fine art medium, enhancing that element of surprise.

If you like this painting, you probably enjoy modern pieces that utilise traditional fine art techniques and realism. Something that is classic in composition yet playful and even a little funny. A furry friend as the subject matter doesn’t hurt either.

2. Contemporary figurative realism

Packing Room Prize winner Sean Layh

A lot of the similar, shoppable pieces really focus on the reclined subject matter for this painting but they’re also quite stylised, as this painting is. Sean Layh’s work is an oil on board painting that feels Baroque in its emotional intensity and storytelling. This piece is figurative, meaning it depicts people but in a symbolic way. Layh did this with a dual subject matter. The scene at once depicts actor Jacob Collins and also the character he is portraying, Hamlet.

If you like this painting, you could also look into artworks that feature chiaroscuro. This art style, which is Italian for “light-dark”, features dark toned scenes with subject matters that are swathed in highly contrasting light. It’s dramatic and theatrical, just like Layh’s painting.

3. Maximalism (with Gothic Revival-style tiles)

Archibald Prize finalist Stieg Persson

Vibrant colours, bold patterns and figures suspended in air. This oil on linen painting of ABC journalist and television presenter Virginia Trioli and her dog, Cora, is certainly maximalist. It’s highly decorative, from the backdrop of Gothic Revival style tiles to the full length gown that Virginia is wearing.

If you like this artwork, you will probably enjoy bright colour schemes and clashing patterns but I wouldn’t entirely recommend the abstract paintings that often feature these elements. There is still realism in this portraiture. The similar artworks you can shop reflect this. However, one option isn’t a portrait, it’s Mediterranean tiles. This backdrop is so vivid and you could certainly use beautiful tiles as an artwork in and of itself.

4. Portraiture with interior scenes

Archibald Prize finalist Kean Onn See

This artwork is simply joyous, something that can feel rare in traditional fine art portraiture. Regardless of medium or style, if you like this painting then you should try searching for other pieces that just feel happy.

Onn See’s artwork is synthetic polymer paint on carved plywood and the carving is actually the first step in his artistic process. He then paints on top of the carved wood.

The similar pieces you can shop focus on depictions of bright interiors. Many works by Henri Matisse capture that same subject matter, in similarly bright tones, and are quite affordable. You can also turn to Etsy for custom artworks depicting your own home. If you like interior scenes, you will likely appreciate Emma Wolfe’s work as well.

5. Contemporary abstract painting

Sulman Prize finalist Gemma Smith

Abstract art is so varied. This piece by Gemma Smith is synthetic polymer paint on linen and was painted over months. It is layered, with visible brushstrokes atop visible brushstrokes. The colours are deep and moody yet there are wisps of lightness.

If you like this piece, I would look for similarly vivid abstract art and paintings that have deliciously thick applications of paint.

6. Pop art

Archibald Prize finalist Chris Watts

This piece, comprised of synthetic polymer paint on canvas, is heavily influenced by pop art. Chris Watts chose to paint former AFL West Coast Eagles player Mitch Brown, who, in 2025, became the first male AFL player to publicly come out as bisexual. As such, the portrait features the colours of the bisexual pride flag.

As with a lot of pop art, the colours in this portrait are solid and flat, except in the hair where there are subtle gradients to the black tone. If you like this piece, look to pop art or portraits with bright colours. You could also look at portraits where the figures are less realistic and largely comprised of shapes.

7. Postmodern mixed media

Archibald Prize finalist James Powditch

James Powditch is a postmodern mixed media artist who frequently uses printed pages from books in his artworks. He also uses a lot of found objects in his pieces, including the flower stalk depicted in this portrait, which was a gift from the subject matter, Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

If you enjoy this work, look at other mixed media collages or try Etsy for drawings atop book pages.

8. Contemporary expressionism

Sulman Prize finalist Peter Graham

Expressionism prioritises emotion over reality. One of the most famous examples is Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’. It’s a highly stylised approach to a real scene (be it a landscape or portrait) that depicts the feelings from the moment rather than the moment itself.

This piece by Peter Graham is certainly evocative. The harvest scene is simply dreamy, with serene colours as well as fluid forms. If you like this artwork, try expressionist landscapes in a similar colour scheme or pieces that elicit a similar feeling in you.

9. Geometric abstraction

Sulman Prize finalist Ron Adams

If you like this artwork by Ron Adams, you will enjoy abstract pieces that feature bold colours and geometric themes. This artwork actually depicts The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, an unfinished church in Barcelona by Antoni Gaudi. It’s all in the silhouettes. The shapes are reminiscent of the building’s towers yet stand on their own as a work of art. In that way, it has some elements of cubism.

10. Minimalist portraiture

Archibald Prize finalist Morgan Stokes

This watercolour on linen artwork by Morgan Stokes is moody as well as evocative. It’s a portrait with a subject matter that is barely distinguisable from the backdrop. The watercolours bleed against each other, softening the features until they’re barely visible. This is the result of an intentional technique – Stokes painted on to wet linen so that colours would merge unexpectedly.

If you like this painting, look to minimalist styles of portraiture, with deep moody colours and fluid use of watercolours.

What is the Archibald Prize?

The Archibald Prize is an annual art award for portraiture, that is held by the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It’s held at the same time as the Wynne Prize (for best landscape) and the Sulman Prize (for best subject painting). The finalists were announced on the 30th of April, with the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize winners then announced on the 8th of May. The exhibition is now open to the public. For more information, click here.

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