The film Duncan Pepe Long watched three times before it became his favourite

Saturday, 13 June 2026

Duncan Pepe Long was awarded the 2026 Adam Portraiture Award for his canvas titled, Solomon Tāmehana.

The Singing Detective was a dark and challenging series, says Long.

Tāmaki Makaurau artist Duncan Pepe Long was recently awarded the 2026 Adam Portraiture Award for his canvas titled, Solomon Tāmehana. Selected from 429 entries and with a prize of $30,000, judges hailed Long’s work as an “acute insight and a remarkably light touch to classical realism”. This is the fifth time Long’s art has been selected as a finalist for the awards, with the painter and printmaker who specialises in oil portraits having previously been highly commended in 2020.

TV show

The Singing Detective with Michael Gambon. Such a dark and challenging series. I rewatch it every few years.

Recently the Netflix show Ripley, a retelling of The Talented Mr. Ripley. It features gorgeous black and white cinematography of Italy. Every shot feels like a perfectly composed photograph. And the story has a focus on Caravaggio – “It’s the light. Always the light!”

Sandwich filling

Roasted capsicum elevates almost any sandwich.

The plot of Inherent Vice, starring Joaquin Phoenix, is almost incomprehensible, but I love the overall vibe, says Long.

Song

Disintegration by The Cure. An unbelievably beautiful and emotionally devastating song. The album of the same name is perfect, there isn’t a bad track on it.

Thing to buy at the supermarket

Almonds. They’re the perfect snack food. I thought I was allergic to them, until someone pointed out I’d been eating cherry tarts full of almonds for years with no ill effects.

Book

I really enjoyed The Outsider by Colin Wilson. Even if I didn’t always agree with him, it was a great jumping-off point for discovering other authors.

Piece of art

Hans Memling’s portraits of Tommaso and Maria Portinari. I love their scale – small and unassuming at first, but exquisite up close. I think small works invite the viewer to lean forward and examine them more closely. There’s an intimacy in that.

Item of clothing

Baseball caps. I need to shield my eyes from studio lights when I’m drawing or painting from a live model, so I’ve built up quite a collection of trucker caps and vintage baseball caps over the years.

Podcast

I like hardcore punk music, so I’ve been enjoying the HardLore podcast. They cover many of the bands from the era I was most involved in punk music – the early 2000’s. Most of those artists didn’t receive much attention at the time, so it feels like a real trip down memory lane.

Movie

Inherent Vice starring Joaquin Phoenix. I had to watch it three times before it became an all-time favourite. The plot is almost incomprehensible, but I love the overall vibe and hanging out with the characters.

Smell/fragrance

D.S &Durga’s Debaser. It has a humid, sweet fig scent that’s perfect for summer. In autumn I like their burnt oil scent, Burning Barbershop.

Destination

New York City. Particularly The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I could spend months looking at the paintings there.

Word

Elbow.

Bit of advice you've received

I learned a lot simply by watching respected mentors. The one thing they all have in common is their work ethic. You only get out what you put in.

Weekend ritual

My partner and I unwind by searching the local op shops and vintage stores, and we visit Auckland’s Central Flea most Sundays. 80% of my clothes are second-hand.

Person

My partner – the most supportive and wonderful person in my world.

Job

Teaching is far and away the most rewarding job I’ve had. Being able to help someone by sharing knowledge is an incredible feeling.