CURRENT ISSUE
C O N T E N T S
ON THE COVER: nova MILNE, Release Crops, Open Shirt for Kin 2025 (ongoing), 2025. Acrylic, tape-marked impression on bookcloth, assorted original Tori Amos press materials (1996), repositionable posters and press clippings, neodymium magnets, gatorboard, various sizes uncropped to reveal the original. Stamped verso with date of restoration. Instructions for peeling, 99 x 109cm.
Courtesy Syrup Contemporary, Warrane/Sydney.
Find out more in this issue’s Under 5K section.
U P F R O N T
Previews
The notable exhibitions to be staged this quarter across the region.
Artworld Analysis
This issue we’re exploring: The rise of activist collecting and how a new generation is redefining art acquisition beyond mere ownership; the digital revolution transforming art documentation; and the fascinating neuroscience behind why certain artworks stop us in our tracks and how building a collection might be one of the best investments in your mental health.
Art Fair Report
The art fairs and biennales to take note of in the coming quarter.
And the Winner Was
A rundown of the major prize winners from the last quarter.
On the Couch
Melbourne gallerist Zara Sigglekow on creating elevated yet accessible gallery spaces, and why contemporary art must shift consciousness.
ARTISTS
Under 5K
Our writers present those artists who you might be surprised to learn have work available for less than AU$5,000.
Look Out For
The artists on our radar now.
Pull Focus
Prominent critics zero in on important major works.
Collector’s Dossier
One of Australia’s most acclaimed artists, Tim Storrier explores the delicate tension between order and chaos. Ashley Crawford writes.
Comfortably Numb
Alex Seton on how AI-generated images of Pope Francis inspired his latest exhibition. Emily Riches writes.
Fields of Vision
Philip Wolfhagen explores new meaning in a view he’s painted for over twenty years. Briony Downes writes.
A Place to Rest
Thornton Walker on creating landscapes that hover between the real and imagined. Courtney Kidd writes.
Look Closely
Mike Parr on five decades of uncompromising performance art, using his own body as both subject and tool. Robert Buratti writes.
When Personal Meets Political
Sophia Hewson draws powerful parallels between personal trauma and global conflict. Nikita Holcombe writes.
Water Stories
Roslyn Dixon on developing her distinctive voice within the Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) tradition. Camilla Wagstaff writes.
Little Deaths
Jackson Farley shows how using humour and irony to explore the “little deaths” we experience on journeys toward self-growth. Josephine Mead writes.
Meet George Jetson
Edward Waring on transforming vintage crystal and glass into luminous contemporary sculptures. Courtney Kidd writes.
Between Respite and Struggle
In a world where emotional authenticity often feels commodified, Caesar Florence-Howard’s paintings offer something genuinely raw. Ellinor Pelz writes.
COLLECTING
Dealer: Broad Canvas
Dominik Mersch’s intuitive approach has shaped two decades of international gallery programming.
Critic’s Choice
Meet the curators bringing horror to the art world and the five Aotearoa artists they champion.
Collector: On a Shoestring
Gordon Elliott and Michael Eyes prove that building a serious art collection doesn’t require deep pockets.
If I Could Have
Curator Emilia Galatis selects works she would take home tomorrow if she could.
Art Centre: Unbroken Lines
In the heart of the Northern Territory, Ampilatwatja serves as a vital link to ancient traditions.
Travel: Where Art Grows Wild
In the Great Otway National Park near Lorne, artist Graeme Wilkie has created something extraordinary.
Seen, Read, Heard
The book, podcast and film you might like to know about.
Exhibition
Notable institutional exhibitions to be staged this quarter across the region.
An ARI for your Diary
We speak with innovative women-led artist- run collective mothermother on attracting collectors who value relationships over transactions. Pete Volich writes.
CONTRIBUTORS
Ben Adams is an Australian photographer residing in Newcastle.
Sam Beard lives on Whadjuk country, Boorloo/ Perth and is the co-founder of Dispatch Review.
Dr Ashley Crawford is an author and freelance writer, cultural critic and arts journalist based in Melbourne, Australia.
Lara Chapman is a Warrane/Sydney-based writer, editor and curator who writes about design, architecture, technology and exhibitions.
Briony Downes studied Art History at the University of Oxford and Australian Aboriginal Art at Curtin University, Perth. She has worked in the arts for 20 years as a writer.
Nick De Lorenzo is a Warrane/Sydney-based photographer.
Emilia Galatis is a Boorloo/Perth-based curator and creative producer.
Gary Grealy is an award-winning Warrane/Sydney-based photographer.
Sasha Grishin AM, FAHA, Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University in Canberra, works internationally as an art historian, art critic and curator.
Rosie Hastie is a photographer & artist based in Nipaluna/Hobart.
Nikita Holcombe is an independent writer, curator and researcher living and working on Wurundjeri land.
Courtney Kidd has specialised in visual arts writing for more than 30 years. She is also an art consultant with Artbank.
Althea Kuzman holds the position of Public Programs Officer at Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney.
Eloise Lindeback is a creative producer and art writer. She has previously held positions at MAG&M, Tangentyere Artists and Papunya Tjupi Arts.
Aaron Lister is the senior curator at City Gallery Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Emil McAvoy works as an artist, art writer, educator, gallery professional and consultant.
Josephine Mead is a writer, visual-artist and curator, residing on Wurundjeri Country.
Elke Meitzel is a Melbourne-based photographer.
Chelsea Nichols is the senior curator at The Dowse Art Museum, Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Ellinor Pelz is an independent curator and writer based in Naarm/Melbourne
Ingrid Periz works out of New York as a critic and curator.
Emily Riches lives and works in Warrane/ Sydney. She founded Aniko Press in 2020.
Savanna Szelski is an artist and writer based in Narrm/Melbourne.
Barnaby Smith currently lives on Bundjalung country, and is a critic, poet and musician.
Pete Volich is an artist, curator, and First Nations art advocate, holding leadership roles at Ballarat International Foto Festival and the Fremantle Arts Centre.
Camilla Wagstaff is a journalist and writer based in Warrane/Sydney. She specialises in arts, culture, interiors and travel writing.
Emma-Kate Wilson works as an arts writer who has been published in Art Monthly and The Sydney Morning Herald.