Innholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2025 i Art Guide Australia

I often think about the tension between making art and making home. If you believe the myths that persist in our culture, the risk associated with good art seem diametrically opposed to more basic needs like security and stability. Yet, it’s difficult to take imaginative leaps when you feel precarious—a state that’s exacerbated by the way the nature of artistic labour in 2025 intersects with a housing crisis that’s gradually worsening. In a compelling reported essay for this issue accompanied by original illustrations by Caitlin Aloisio Shearer, writer Jo Higgins explores the intersection of housing and art making. She also speaks to artists who have conceived an approach to housing that is more expansive than its current definition, reimagining what it can be. Home, of course, has always meant different…

Hold the world to its word Murray Art Museum Albury On now—16 March When times are hard, we often turn to art to remind ourselves that beauty and hope persist. Mercifully, a favourite artwork, poem or film can lift us from the darkness. The idea of art as an agent for good is the central theme of Hold the world to its word, a group show curated by Michael Moran. Bringing together nine artists working across painting, photography, text-based work and sculpture, Moran says the main drive behind the show was “a genuine belief art has a purpose, and that artists have a job to do. It’s to make the world a better place.” Tying together conflicting feelings of tenderness, mortality and the immense beauty of life, Stephen Ralph’s pair…

Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award Lismore Regional Art Gallery On now—2 February The Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award was launched at Lismore Regional Gallery (LRG) in 2021. This second iteration reflects the tenacity of LRG, following Covidrelated closures and a multi-faceted restoration after the 2022 floods. The award celebrates the vibrancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art across Australia, presenting diverse artists and echoing LRG’s prioritisation of First Nations-led programming. “The prize provides a reflection of the high calibre of work being produced,” says curator Ineke Dane. This year’s award received over 80 entries and 25 finalists were selected. LRG director Ashleigh Ralph says that the award will showcase “diverse practices, conceptual-drives, and age groups. We’ve got artists like Karla Dickens alongside Jenna Lee. It’s a beautiful way to…

Two Girls From Amoonguna Araluen Arts Centre On now—27 January Two Girls From Amoonguna features work by Arrernte and Southern Luritja artist Sally M Nangala Mulda and Arrernte and Western Arrarnta artist Marlene Rubuntja. Originally conceived by Luritja curator Jenna Rain Warwick for ACMI in 2023, the exhibition has been re-staged at Araluen Art Centre. This is not a coincidence. The show revolves around community, the reality of the artists’ lives and the deep connection they feel for each other. Mulda and Rubuntja grew up in Amoonguna—a camp established by the government in 1963. They separated for most of their adult lives, pursuing art and caring for family, re-connecting as established artists. As Rain recounts, “they had a moment of reflection where they were able to look back and see…

In Yona Lee’s work, the quotidian takes on new forms. Chairs, fans, lamps and beds are placed into looping metal structures, forcing a new perspective on an ordinary thing. Stainless steel tubes interlink with one another, seamlessly melding and twisting to create labyrinthine sculptural arrangements with no clear beginning or end. Lee’s site-specific works bring new dimensions to the spaces they exist in. Lee began to explore the tubular form around 2016, influenced by the differences between South Korea, where she was born, and New Zealand, where she moved at the age of 11. “It really started from spending time in Seoul and thinking about sound travelling through space—there was a moment when this concept developed into a body traveling through space,” Lee says. “A really dominant difference between living…

Artspace Mackay artspacemackay.com.au Civic Precinct, corner Gordon and Macalister Streets, Yuwi Country, Mackay, QLD 4740 [Map 14] 07 4961 9722 Tue to Fri 10am–5pm, Sat & Sun 10am–3pm. Free admission. See our website for latest information. 18 January—30 March I, Object 18 January—6 April Thea Anamara Perkins: Dualities 18 January—6 April Danish Quapoor: The Wall (departed) 18 January—6 April Focus on the Collection – Anneke Silver: Iconic Moments Brisbane Powerhouse brisbanepowerhouse.org Yagara Country, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm, QLD 4005 [Map 15] 07 3358 8622 Open daily, 9am—late. February—March Festival of Other Music OHM The OHM Festival of Other Music returns to Brisbane Powerhouse this February - March, celebrating boundary-pushing artists and unforgettable live performances. Headlining the festival is Grammy-nominated supergroup Bonny Light Horseman, blending timeless folk with contemporary artistry.…

MAP 1 VICTORIA 1 Ararat Gallery TAMA2 Art Gallery of Ballarat3 Artpuff4 Arts Space Wodonga5 Benalla Art Gallery6 Bendigo Art Gallery7 Bendigo Visitor Centre8 Cascade Art Gallery9 Castlemaine Art Gallery10 Central Goldfields Art Gallery11 The Convent Daylesford12 Cusack & Cusack13 East Gippsland Art Gallery14 Everywhen Art at Whistlewood15 Geelong Art Space16 Geelong Gallery17 Gippsland Art Gallery18 Hamilton Art Gallery19 The Hive Gallery20 Horsham Regional Gallery21 Latrobe Regional Gallery22 La Trobe Art Institute23 Maffra Exhibition Space24 Mildura Arts Centre25 Platform Arts26 QDOS Art Gallery27 Post Office Gallery Art Academy28 Pt. Leo Estate29 RACV Goldfields Resort30 Ross Creek Gallery31 Salt Contemporary Art32 Shepparton Art Museum33 Stockroom Gallery34 Swan Hill Regional Gallery35 Switchback Gallery36 Wangaratta Art Gallery37 Warrnambool Art Gallery38 Wyndham Art Gallery MAP 2 MELBOURNE CBD 1 Alcaston Gallery2 Australian Centre for…

ROSAMUND BRENNAN is a freelance journalist and photographer based in Fremantle, Western Australia, who focuses on culture, travel and society. Her work has appeared in publications including The Guardian, The Australian, Al Jazeera, The Sunday Telegraph, Qantas Magazine and Delicious, among others. STEVE DOW is a Melbourne-born, Sydney-based arts writer, whose profiles, essays, previews and reviews range across the visual arts, theatre, film and television for The Saturday Paper, Guardian Australia, The Monthly, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Sunday Life, Limelight and VAULT. BRIONY DOWNES is an arts writer based in Hobart. She has worked in the arts industry for over 20 years as a writer, actor, gallery assistant, art theory tutor and fine art framer. Most recently, she spent time studying art history through Oxford University. SALLY GEARON…

Metaphysical Journey Imants Tillers Bett Gallery 14 February—8 March Postmodern painter and writer Imants Tillers titled his latest exhibition in honour of one of his main inspirations, the Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico, who invented a metaphysical style of painting in the early 20th century. Several of Tiller’s 20 all-new works on display will reference de Chirico, reflecting the Sydney-born artist’s interest in the Italian’s output and life, which Tillers also wrote about in Metafisica Australie, a chapter in his 2022 essay collection Credo, published by Giramondo. De Chirico was a writer, too, and his 1929 novel Hebdomeros “was better than anything André Breton ever wrote”, says Tillers from his home and studio in Cooma, in south-eastern New South Wales. De Chirico’s book references Melbourne, and he also created lithographs…

Numinous: The Landscape Paintings of William Robinson William Robinson Gallery On now—31 August William Robinson is the only living Australian artist with a public gallery dedicated to his work. Since 2009, the William Robinson Gallery has held regular exhibitions showcasing the prolific Queensland artist’s oeuvre. The latest is Numinous, focusing on landscape painting. These works are largely from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, showing the natural world through Robinson’s careful eye. “He never went out to landscapes that he didn’t understand,” says curator Vanessa Van Ooyen. “He always painted where he lived, those really familiar spaces—so you get the really rich connection that he’s got to the landscape.” This show has been in the making since Ooyen first came across Robinson’s work in the 90s as part of an…

Arriving Slowly: Exploring the Abstract Ipswich Art Gallery On now—16 February “I’m after an experience for the viewer,” said Mark Rothko in a 1958 lecture at the Pratt Institute, “one that involves his emotions as well as his intellect.” Claire Sourgnes and Kezia Geddes have adopted this approach in the curation of Arriving Slowly: Exploring the Abstract at Ipswich Art Gallery. “Some abstraction is deeply intellectual, and not emotional at all,” says Sourgnes. “We’ve curated wanting to elicit that emotional vibration.” Arriving Slowly was triggered by the National Gallery of Australia’s ‘Sharing the National Collection’ program, which loans significant pieces from their collection to regional and suburban galleries. Ipswich Art Gallery has loaned three pieces for the show: Mark Rothko’s 1957 # 20, 1957 and two paintings from Agnes Martin.…

Through Birds in Far Pavilions, Nusra Latif Qureshi invites us into her inner sanctum. Displayed across four spaces at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, this timely exhibition acknowledges the breadth of Qureshi’s artistic career while presenting her lifelong inquiries into the inadequacies of representation. The exhibition commences with artworks Qureshi made in Pakistan including untitled, 1995, marking her graduation from the National College of Arts in Lahore. The work consists of five paintings, each marking a certain decade (roughly) of the political changes and events of Pakistan’s history and each accompanied by a text commenting on the era. Visitors will then encounter Museum of lost memories, 2024, commissioned by AGNSW on the occasion of this monographic exhibition. Qureshi describes this work as “constantly in the making, articulating loss…

ACAE Gallery acaearts.com.au Wurundjeri Country, Australasian Cultural Arts Exchange, 82A Wellington Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066 [Map 3] 0406 711 378 Tue to Sun 10am–5pm. See our website for latest information. ACAE Gallery is a cultural venture presenting artworks and exhibitions by contemporary Australian and Asian artists. Our bilingual service, delivered in English and Mandarin, offers access to a range of artworks and public programs. Alcaston Gallery alcastongallery.com.au 84 William Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 [Map 2] 03 8849 9668 Thu 12pm–6pm or by appointment. See our website for latest information. Established in 1989, Alcaston Gallery is based in Melbourne with a national and international focus and exhibition schedule. The gallery represents contemporary artists from Australia and the Asia Pacific Region and is renowned for representing and exhibiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait…

Aarwun Gallery aarwungallery.com.au Ngunnawal Country, 11 Federation Square, Gold Creek, Nicholls, ACT 2913 [Map 16] 0499 107 887 Daily 10am–4.30pm and by appointment in the evening. See our website for latest information. Artists Shed artistshed.com.au 1–3/88 Wollongong Street (lower), Fyshwick, ACT 2609 0418 237 766 Tue to Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 10am–4pm. See our website for latest information. A private gallery by award winning artist Margaret Hadfield. The ‘Shed’ is a resourceful arts business with quality art materials, art school, gallery, and a music venue space. Margaret’s works are on display with local and ‘Shed Artists’ as well. Margaret paints in most mediums and the gallery features her works on military history, Antarctica and Australian landscapes. Study pieces can be acquired for a bargain. Australian National Capital Artists (ANCA) Gallery anca.net.au…

Adelaide Contemporary Experimental ace.gallery Kaurna Yarta, Lion Arts Centre, North Terrace (West End), Adelaide, SA 5000 [Map 18] 08 8211 7505 Tue to Sat 11am–4pm. See our website for latest information. 15 February—12 April Shared Skin Atong Atem (AU), Hana Pera Aoake (NZ), Jared Flitcroft (NZ), Juanella Donovan (AU), Jumana Manna (GER), Jacob Boehme, KTB + Narungga Family Choir (AU), Tuan Andrew Nguyen (USA), Bhenji Ra (AU), Steven Rhall (AU), Marikit Santiago (AU) and Jennifer Tee (NL). Curator: Rayleen Forester (Associate Curator, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental). Art Images Gallery artimagesgallery.com.au Kaurna Country, 32 The Parade, Norwood, SA 5067 [Map 18] 08 8363 0806 Mon to Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 2pm–5pm. 3 January–9 February Summer Lovin Group Exhibition When the gallery re-opens on 3rd January after a short break, visit the…

Fremantle/Walyalup The Huxleys: Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams Fremantle Arts Centre On now–27 January Partners in life and art, Will and Garrett Huxley revel in the excess of their sequined wonderland, paying homage to their queer artist forebears. Their first collective survey, showing in Perth where British-born Will grew up, unfurls a decade of photography, music recordings, costume, film and performance. Curator Abigail Moncrieff says Will, 42, is the extroverted one in the relationship, although Melbourneborn and Gold Coast-raised Garrett, 51, became “more sparkly” after the pair met. The Huxleys recently drove from their Melbourne home across the Nullarbor with their Staffordshire terrier-cross dogs Edward and Vivienne to perform at Fremantle Arts Centre when the survey show opened there in November. Moncrieff says the “spirit of celebration of creativity” makes…

Roberta Joy Rich: Lying Inside Biannual Façade Commission La Trobe Art Institute On now—19 January For La Trobe University’s Biannual Façade Commission, artist Roberta Joy Rich brings the dark corners of archival material into the light. On the glass frontage of the La Trobe Art Institute in Bendigo, Rich has created Lying Inside, a work using sound, image and text to explore South African diaspora. During the development process, Rich spent time looking at cultural objects housed within the university’s ethnographic collection and speaking to the local migrant community. To communicate the effect of this experience, Rich produced an inverted photograph of La Trobe’s underground storage complex and its shelving, and overlaid images of cowry shells sourced from the collection onto the facade. “The shells dance around a reproduction of…

Tony Clark: Unsculpted Buxton Contemporary On now—1 June For over four decades, Tony Clark’s painting practice has merged a deep appreciation for art history with a desire to push beyond the traditional confines of prescribed mediums. Known for landscape paintings that both subvert and celebrate the genre, he has turned his attention to sculpture—or the idea of it—in a major career retrospective at Buxton Contemporary. “The show is called Unsculpted, which is more or less a made-up word, but it seemed appropriate to describe a lot of work that I’ve done over many years, from very early on, that reference sculpture in some way,” says Clark. The deep fascination with sculpture was always there, just waiting for the pieces to be put together. “You don’t get a sense of the…

Shared Skin Adelaide Contemporary Experimental On now—12 April Shared Skin explores the concept of family through the lens of First Nations and culturally diverse artists. It’s a personal question for curator Rayleen Forester, who started thinking about it after starting a family of her own. “I’ve questioned what that structure looks like in art making, and how I navigate my profession as a parent,” she says. “I’ve been taken with the idea of how we build families and how they look as different structures outside of bloodlines… A lot of my work has involved working with Elders, young leaders, mothers and caretakers, looking at that idea of how we connect with one another, not only as kin to other bodies and other families, but also what that connection looks like to…

Every few years artist Sarah Poulgrain finds themselves at home, thigh-deep in flood water and literal shit as the sewers overflow. Living and working in a warehouse in a once-wetland suburb of Brisbane/Meanjin, Poulgrain’s living situation and art practice are increasingly indistinguishable. Together with Hailey Atkins and Anya Swan, they started renting the former wrecker’s workshop in 2017 and the process of making their live/work space both liveable and workable was a formative experience for Poulgrain, whose collaborative, collectivist practice focuses on community building through skill-learning and knowledge-sharing. Unsurprisingly, over the last several years Poulgrain has been thinking a lot about the housing crisis and the cost of increasing environmental crises, as well as their desires for more practical exhibition outcomes and a more communal, sustainable future. Which is how…

The future: unknown, uncertain, very scary! So pick your fighter, or in this case pick your medium. Painting, sculpting, filmmaking, or one that combines it all: worldbuilding. The future and how we create it is the premise of ACMI’s latest exhibition, The Future & Other Fictions, which uncovers the process of creative worldbuilding and its ability to navigate the turbulent topography of the realities we inhabit. A heavy dose of dystopian dread feels ingrained into our popular culture diet and extends into the world we live in, as all too often the warnings it holds come to pass. One of the curators and contributing artists, futurist and filmmaker Liam Young, acknowledges that while these cautionary tales can have a paralysing effect, they can also be “productive dystopias” which represent a…

Annandale Galleries annandalegalleries.com.au 110 Trafalgar Street, Annandale, Sydney, NSW 2038 [Map 7] 02 9552 1699 Wed to Sat 11am–4pm. See our website for latest information. Through varying styles and contexts the aim of Annandale Galleries is to show the best of Australian and international contemporary art. Recent exhibitions have included a range of artists recognised and revered the world over. Artbank Sydney artbank.gov.au 222 Young Street, Waterloo, NSW 2017 [Map 9] 02 9697 6000 Tue to Thu 12pm–4pm or by appointment. See our website for latest information. Artbank is part of the Australian Government Office for the Arts, in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts. For 40 years Artbank has supported Australia’s contemporary art sector. 7 November 2024—7 February Historically, still life has sought to…

Bett Gallery bettgallery.com.au Nipaluna Country, Level 1, 65 Murray Street, Hobart, TAS 7000 [Map 17] 03 6231 6511 Mon to Fri 10am–5.30pm, Sat 10am–4pm. See our website for latest information. 17 January—18 February Reparation and Adrift Patrick Grieve 17 January—18 February PALAWA group exhibition-luna rural - strong women 14 February—8 March Imants Tillers - Metaphysical Journey 14 February—8 March Pat Brassington Contemporary Art Tasmania contemporaryarttasmania.org Nuenonne Country, 27 Tasma Street, North Hobart, TAS 7000 [Map 17] 03 6231 0445 Wed to Sat, noon–5pm. 1 February—8 March Gravity Portal Sarah Maher Colville Gallery colvillegallery.com.au 15 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, TAS 7004 [Map 17] 03 6224 4088 Daily 10am–5pm. 17 December 2024—14 January Annual Artists Exhibition 1 January—22 January Colville Summer Show 9 February—11 February Colville Auctions Wellington Room, Wrest Point, Sandy…

Art Collective WA artcollectivewa.com.au Whadjuk Country, 2/565 Hay Street, Cathedral Square, Perth, WA 6000 [Map 19] 08 9325 7237 Wed to Fri 11am–4pm, Sat 12pm–4pm, or by appointment. 1 February—1 March The Majestical Firmament Andrew Nicholls Comprising drawings, ceramics and ritual objects created by artist Andrew Nicholls, The Majestical Firmament represents the first stage in a multi-year project developing a new divinatory system based around traditions of Western Planetary Magick. The centrepiece of the exhibition is a series of large-scale ink and watercolour drawings for future translation into trump cards for a forthcoming cartomancy deck, complemented by smaller ink drawings to form part of the deck’s suits. Rendered in Nicholls’ trademark high-camp style, the works depict personifications of the seven traditional magickal ‘planets’ (including the sun and moon) identified by…

Araluen Arts Centre, Mparntwe araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au 61 Larapinta Drive, Mparntwe/Alice Springs, NT 0870 08 8951 1122 Summer hours, Tue to Sat, 10am–4pm, Sun 10am–2pm, closed Mondays. See our website for latest information. 2 November 2024—27 January Two Girls From Amoonguna Two Girls From Amoonguna is an exhibition featuring new work by Arrernte and Southern Luritja artist Sally M Nangala Mulda and Western Arrarnta artist Marlene Rubuntja. It recounts their intertwining stories of friendship and resilience in the Central Desert. Encompassing video, soft sculptures, and paintings, the centerpiece animation, Arrkutja Tharra, Kungka Kutjara, Two Girls, was made in collaboration with Ludo Studio (Bluey, Robin Hood, and The Strange Chores). Sally and Marlene’s practice is representative of Mparntwe (Alice Springs), where they live. Playful, self-referential, and humorous, their work embodies the politics, history,…