Sean Layh | Archibald Packing Room Prize winner 2026

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:00][William Newell] The winner of the Packing Room Prize 2026 is Sean Layh for his portrait of Jacob Collins.

[00:00:07][audience applause] [Sean Layh] Thank you.

[00:00:11]It was amazing enough to be selected as a finalist in the Archibald.

[00:00:15]It's surreal to win the Packing Room Prize.

[00:00:24]-[Alexis Wildman] The Packing Room Pickers are the installation crew here at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and then come Archibald season, we transform into the Packing Room Pickers.

[00:00:33][laughs] -[William] Then we all come together on the last day, on the Friday, and we literally have an old tissue box, and everyone writes a number, puts it in, and they vote for it.

[00:00:43]And this year, Sean got the most votes by far.

[00:00:48]-[Alexis] Sean's done a fantastic job, not only in composition but technical skill.

[00:00:52]It stood out to us immediately.

[00:00:55]You don't need any words for this picture.

[00:00:57]It has such a strong story behind it.

[00:01:00]It's not so much about Jacob as an actor, but Hamlet as a character.

[00:01:08]-[Sean] The work itself, I've come to understand it as a double portrait.

[00:01:13]It is a portrait of Jacob Collins, the British–Australian actor, but it's a portrait of him portraying Hamlet.

[00:01:22]How I got to meet Jacob was going to see a performance of 'Hamlet'.

[00:01:27]The whole ensemble were fantastic, and Jacob in that title role really carried it, and it left a really strong impression on me.

[00:01:34]So I reached out to him and said, 'Look, I'm a painter.

[00:01:38]I would love you to reprise your role as Hamlet for a piece.'

[00:01:43]But just to try to make it even more enticing, I said, 'Oh, maybe a painting like this could be eligible for the Archibald.'

[00:01:53]My reaction when I found out that I had won the Packing Room Prize, it was shock.

[00:01:58]I don't think I really understood it at first.

[00:02:00]The reason it's meaningful is it's recognition at home.

[00:02:04]I've only been back in the arts for five or so years, but a lot of the attention so far has come internationally and to be not only accepted into the Archibald but then to receive the Packing Room Prize, as judged by a group of artists, is just really satisfying.

[00:02:24]Thank you very much.

[00:02:25]This is one of the great honours of my professional life.

[00:02:28]So thank you for giving it to me.

[00:02:30][audience applause]