Scotty So: A Beautiful Deception

With regular appearances at nightclubs and major museums, Scotty So is Melbourne’s most in-demand performance artist. He’s now preparing for his first commercial gallery exhibition.

Words: Victoria Perin

Photography: Elke Meitzel

Scotty So is perhaps Australia’s most in-demand performance artist. A darling of the National Gallery of Victoria, he was featured in the 2020 triennial, China: The Past is Present, QUEER: Stories from the NGV Collection in 2022, and Melbourne Now in 2023. Despite being represented for three years by MARS Gallery in Melbourne, So is yet to have his first solo commercial exhibition. This is surprising, considering his ubiquity at art events and openings, where he appears as a drag artist who floats above the hoi polloi, often in gorgeous vintage or custom cheongsam.

The busy artist participated in 17 exhibitions in 2023, alongside drag performances and his career as a nightclub performer. His solo at MARS will be held at the same time as a major group show at the State Library of Victoria, where…

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