![\"Anne](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/18446cabe6a883a4f745d727e81e4b4e635fcae8.png\")
Anne Ring<\/a>Freelance writer<\/p>\nJuly 22, 2026 \u2014 7:30pm<\/p>\n
July 22, 2026 \u2014 7:30pm<\/p>\n
Save<\/p>\n
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n
Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n For me, the 70 finalists of the 2026 Young Archie competition on display at the Art Gallery of NSW are the sleeper success of this year\u2019s exhibitions so far \u2013 for the overwhelming message of love in the accompanying texts. So many of them are portraits of some of the most important people in the entrants\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n And so, I thought, it would be absolutely fascinating to see who was chosen.<\/p>\n While both the Archies and the Archibald have some self-portraits, the Archibald entries are mainly of people who\u2019ve made their mark on our society. And it\u2019s certainly interesting to see how they are interpreted by their artists.<\/p>\n But the Young Archies \u2013 oh my! They are, in both their portrayals and their accompanying words, such a glimpse into the hearts of so many young lives. Most reveal key members of their families, but some portray valued friends or mentors. With my longstanding focus on ageing in our society, what blew me away were the powerful intergenerational bridges demonstrated by so many entries depicting beloved grandparents, great-grandparents and other valued older people.<\/p>\n So, of course, I could not resist doing the numbers on the 70 finalists and the additional 20 honorary mentions displayed on the gallery\u2019s walls, even though they may not be a representative sample of the full range of entries. As a researcher, I would, of course, love to get my hands on the 4350-plus entries into the 2026 Young Archies competition. But that did not take away from the joy of reading and seeing how the winners depicted their chosen subjects.<\/p>\n And homing in on those who have portrayed grandparents, and even a couple of great-grandparents, as well as other significant older people in their lives has been an eye-opener. And in these troubled times when Pauline Hanson is calling for a \u201cmonoculture\u201d, what shines through is that most of the children who expressed respect and love for the elders in their lives were from non-English-speaking backgrounds.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve written a book about ageing and often give talks about it. When I speak about ageism, I\u2019m usually asked how we compare with other cultures, especially those which venerate their elders, such as Asian ones.<\/p>\n What is clear from these artistic entries is that we\u2019re importing the best of those cultures when it comes to giving us insights into intergenerational relationships. A quick breakdown of the 22 entries portraying older people showed that 17 were from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Nine had Chinese-sounding surnames. The remaining five had Anglo-Celtic names.<\/p>\n Caden Bi, at six years old, is perhaps my favourite artist, with grandmother and grandchild embracing each other, and the simple text saying that \u201cThis is a happy picture of me and my grandma. We are smiling big and hugging each other. We feel warm and love.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Video<\/p>\n But perhaps the most profound one, in some ways, comes from Alexander Hsieh: \u201cMy English tutor is an 80-year-old man with kind eyes and a gentle smile. He used to be an English teacher at a private school for many years … [and] to me, he is more than a tutor, he is a true friend. When I practise my writing, I share my thoughts and feelings with him and he shares his life experiences with me \u2026 I hope he will keep teaching me for many years.\u201d<\/p>\n Then there is the deep understanding by some of what their grandparents have gone through to ensure a better life for their families. Writing about her Nonna, 15-year-old Inez Deckker knows that \u201clife hasn\u2019t been easy for my Nonna \u2026 Her trials and tribulations have shaped her outlook on life and made her the strongest person I know. To me, she\u2019s skilful and careful and always willing to put effort in to help me whenever she can.\u201d<\/p>\n While one has to pay to see the Archibald exhibition, the Young Archies are free, and well worth a spirit-lifting visit for these and other insights into some of the beautiful young people who will be shaping Australia\u2019s future.<\/p>\n Dr Anne Ring is a health sociologist, freelance writer and author of Engaging with Ageing: What Matters as we Grow Older<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n![\"Young](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f36781a1aad34f800d4b260295ba95be0dab2358.jpeg\")
Young Archie 2026 finalist, 5\u20138 years, Caden Bi, \u201cForever her little one\u201d, oil pastel and pastel on paper. Art Gallery of New South Wales<\/p>\n
![\"Anne](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784722516_233_18446cabe6a883a4f745d727e81e4b4e635fcae8.png\")
Dr