Contemporary Australian Art

What is contemporary Australian art?

Contemporary art is, simply, art made by living artists, and in Australia it broadly covers work from the 1970s to now. It has no single style. What connects it is that it is made now, in conversation with everything that came before it: the landscape tradition of the Heidelberg School, the modernists who gave Australian art its own subjects, and the post-war generation of famous Australian artists such as Nolan, Blackman, Olsen and Whiteley.

Today's Australian painters move freely between abstraction and representation. Landscape is still the strongest thread, but it is more often abstracted into colour, mark and memory than painted as a literal view. Alongside it run bold figurative painting, pop-inflected imagery, still life and pure abstraction, often at a scale suited to contemporary open-plan homes.

Contemporary Australian artists at SOHO

Abstraction. Conchita Carambano's textured abstraction has been refined across four decades. Peter Griffen reduces Australian country to colour, mass and movement, squarely in the post-Nolan tradition of using the land rather than describing it.

Landscape, reimagined. Phil Stallard builds abstracted Sydney waterways from memory, returning again and again to the Hawkesbury River. Geoff Coleman paints the meeting of architecture and nature: pools, homesteads and clean geometry against trees and water. Gino Campagnaro paints architectural landscapes and interiors in soft, unhurried light.

Figurative and pop. James Willebrant's sharply lit ocean baths, surf pavilions and figures have been instantly recognisable for five decades, and his work is held by the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the National Gallery of Victoria. Yosi Messiah works at large scale, from geishas and ballerinas to cherry blossom and Sydney Harbour series.

Still life. Alison Mitchell paints still life of jugs, ginger jars, flowers and fruit with a contemporary eye.

See every painter we represent on the Australian artists page.

Buying contemporary Australian art

Buy the work, not the name. Live with an image for a while. The pieces that keep holding your attention after the first glance are usually the right ones.

Originals, not reproductions. Everything we sell is an original work, with full artist information and provenance.

Scale to the room. Contemporary painting is often made large. Our guide to large wall art covers sizing, hanging height and framing.

See it at home first. We offer room visualisations and in-home trials across greater Sydney, and several artists accept commissions to size.

Buying for a design project? See our trade programme for interior designers and architects.

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Contemporary Australian art FAQ

What is contemporary Australian art?

Art made by living Australian artists, broadly from the 1970s to today. It spans abstraction, reimagined landscape, figurative, pop and still life rather than one style.

Who are well-known contemporary Australian artists?

Among the most widely recognised are Archibald Prize winners Ben Quilty and Del Kathryn Barton. At SOHO Galleries we represent established contemporary painters including James Willebrant, Conchita Carambano, Peter Griffen, Phil Stallard, Geoff Coleman, Gino Campagnaro and Yosi Messiah.

Where can I buy contemporary Australian art in Sydney?

At SOHO Galleries, 150 Edgecliff Road, Woollahra, open seven days, or online with Australia-wide delivery.

What is the difference between modern and contemporary art?

Modern art usually refers to the period from the late nineteenth century to around the 1970s, when artists such as Margaret Preston and Sidney Nolan were working. Contemporary art is art being made now, by living artists.

Can I try a painting at home before buying?

Yes. We offer room visualisations and in-home trials across greater Sydney.