Artist Johannes Leak says Archibald Prize ‘captured by the progressive left’ after his portrait of Jewish leader Alex Ryvchin rejected

Mr Leak submitted a portrait of Mr Ryvchin, co-Chief Executive Officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, to be judged by the 11-member Board of Trustees at the Art Gallery of NSW, but it was rejected as the 904 entries were whittled down to 57 finalists.

It is not the first time one of Mr Leak’s submissions to the Archibald Prize has been overlooked. 

In 2021, a portrait he painted of politician Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was also not selected as a finalist.

His late father Bill was also regarded one of the best painters to have never won the prize, after multiple submissions.

Mr Leak said he wasn’t surprised the portrait, described by Sky News host Chris Kenny as “striking”, did not progress to the finalist stage as he felt like it might not “fall in line” with the “particular agenda” of the Archibald.

“Oh, look, I wish I could say I was shocked, you know, but the Archibald, I suppose, as an institution… I think it’s an open secret, it’s been captured by the progressive left,” he said.

“It’s still an important portrait prize. It’s still an Australian institution. And I thought, let’s give it a go. But yes, I wish I could say I was shocked.”

Mr Ryvchin suggested himself being a “strong Jewish leader” and Mr Leak being a cartoonist for The Australian would not have aligned with “the kind of culture of these institutions”.

The prominent Jewish leader also said he felt for Mr Leak, and wished he got the recognition he “deserves”, describing him as a “master”.

“I wish I could say that these things are entirely done on merit, whether it’s the Pulitzer Prize, or literary festivals and awards, the Archibald,” he said.

“But I think we’d be kidding ourselves if we thought that politics and ideology didn’t enter into it. I think it clearly does. But again, for me personally, regardless of the outcome, it’s a huge honour.

Mr Ryvchin has been one of the most recognisable faces on the frontline for the Jewish community in recent years, especially after war began in Gaza between Hamas and Israel in October 2023.

As a result of his activism, Mr Ryvchin has been targeted in acts of antisemitism, including an incident where a Dover Heights property he previously owned was doused in red paint on January 17, 2025.

While two cars parked outside the home was allegedly graffitied with antisemitic slurs, with at least one vehicle scrawled with “f**k the Jews”, and then set on fire.

Police confirmed they arrested and charged a 37-year-old man with accessory before the fact to damaging property by means of fire or explosion.

Julie Fragar won the 2025 Archibald prize for her portrait of Justene Williams, another artist.

Ms Fragar was announced as the winner on Friday, taking out the $100,000 prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the piece titled ‘Flagship Mother Multiverse’.

Among the 57 finalists were paintings of a number of celebrities including Nicole Kidman, Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, Katie Noonan and Hugo Weaving.