Details unveiled for Explore Sydney Contemporary

Australasia’s premier art fair, Sydney Contemporary, has released the gallery list and other key details for this year’s digital edition of the fair, Explore Sydney Contemporary. In partnership with MA Financial Group, the digital edition brings art online in a big way, taking place from 11-21 November 2021 (online from 10am AEDT at https://sydneycontemporary.com.au).

Hosting more than 80 galleries presenting upwards of 400 artists and approximately 1,700 artworks on a custom dynamic digital platform, the online iteration of the much-loved annual fair provides crucial support for the arts community.

Visitors to the site will be greeted by a specially commissioned animation by internationally acclaimed Melbourne-based artist David Booth, who will also present work with Blackartprojects (Melbourne/Naarm) and Hugo Michell Gallery (Adelaide/Tarntanya).

Another highlight unique to Explore Sydney Contemporary is UNTOLD, a new series of First Nations artist video portraits bringing to life the language, Country and stories of First Nations artists represented in the fair. Providing insight into the artists’ practices, culture, and ideas as they share their work in their own voice, the series is presented in collaboration with Agency Projects and funded by Copyright Agency. Featured artists include Djerrkngu Yunupingu, Robert Fielding, Jenna Lee and Regina Pilawuk Wilson, amongst others.

Barry Keldoulis, Sydney Contemporary Fair director, said: “We are thrilled to present Explore Sydney Contemporary, for visitors to see the remarkable presentations by this year’s exhibitors, who are putting forward works by some of the most exciting artists from around the globe. We have made the site a dynamic experience, and as visitors move through the digital fair there is new work aplenty to discover, with our UNTOLD series giving a deeper dive into the artistic practice of some of the Indigenous artists. We’re proud to be continuing our support of the arts community by creating this platform to foster sales to the benefit artists and their galleries.”

Among the 400 artists presented across the 80+ galleries are practitioners hailing from Australia and New Zealand, but also China, England, France, Germany, South Africa and Thailand.

Leading galleries exhibiting at the Fair include Sydney/Warrang’s CHALKHORSE, Darren Knight Gallery, Dominik Mersch Gallery, Martin Browne Contemporary, Michael Reid, Olsen Gallery, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sullivan+Strumpf, The Commercial and Yavuz Gallery, as well as Melbourne/Naarm’s Alcaston Gallery, Neon Parc, Niagara Galleries, and THIS IS NO FANTASY.

Gow Langsford Gallery, Sanderson Contemporary and STARKWHITE return from New Zealand/Aotearoa, with PAULNACHE joining from Gisborne. Brisbane/Meanjin’s Edwina Corlette and newcomers ILEANA and Onespace Gallery will present works on the platform, as well as GAGPROJECTS from Adelaide/Tarntanya with an all-female artist line-up.

Highlight presentations include Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau’s STARKWHITE, in partnership with leading Los Angeles gallery 1301PE, exhibiting works by American artists Petra Cortright, Pae White and Thai artist Rikrit Tiravanija in conjunction with the opening of their new gallery in Melbourne. Galerie pompom presents new work by sculptor Nuha Saad, and Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert showcases work by leading artists Sally Smart and Marion Borgelt, alongside the functional artist Michael Gittings.

A new collection of paintings and ceramics by renowned artist Joshua Yeldham will be on view via Arthouse Gallery, and Nicholas Thompson Gallery presents 15 new drawings by Rhys Lee. Australian artists Michael Zavros, Gregory Hodge and Maria Fernanda Cardoso feature in Sullivan+Strumpf’s lineup, and new major works by Reko Rennie will be on show at KRONENBERG MAIS WRIGHT. Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery will also present new works by Tom Polo, Renee So, David Noonan and Linda Marrinon; and Michael Lett will present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Stella Corkery.

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This article was originally published 20 October 2021.

Image: Polly Borland, Untitled (purple, red, black and orange), 2018. Lenticular print, 76 x 50.5 x 3.5cm. Courtesy: the artist and Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney/Warrang.