Surrealism – Art That Captures The Imagination

surrealist paintings and canvas artworks from exciting Australian artists – online gallery.

A twentieth-century literary, philosophical and artistic movement that explored the workings of the mind, championing the irrational, the poetic and the revolutionary. Surrealism aims to revolutionise human experience. It balances a rational vision of life with one that asserts the power of the unconscious and dreams. The movement’s artists find magic and strange beauty in the unexpected and the uncanny, the disregarded and the unconventional like dark surrealist art. At the core of their work is the willingness to challenge imposed values and norms, and a search for freedom.

Featured artists: James Willebrant, Ross Wilsmore.

Beautiful surrealist art from established Australian artists.

Surrealist Artworks

Most paintings ask to be understood; a surrealist one asks to be looked at twice. It takes something familiar — a figure, a beach, an everyday object — and puts it somewhere it doesn't quite belong, which is exactly why surrealist work makes such a good conversation piece: it holds attention in a way a straightforward landscape or portrait doesn't, and it rewards the kind of visitor who actually stops in front of art rather than walking past it.

Our surrealist collection leans dreamlike and symbolic rather than purely abstract — recognisable imagery rearranged into something quietly unexpected. (Surrealist art, broadly, juxtaposes ordinary subjects in illogical or dreamlike ways, rather than abandoning representation altogether the way pure abstraction does.)

Featured surrealist artists
James Willebrant — leads this collection, painting the Australian coast and Art Deco bathing pavilions with a style he describes as variously labelled "Surreal, Naive, Pop Art, and even Existential." A National Art School graduate with over 60 solo exhibitions and prints held in the NGV and AGNSW.
Ross Wilsmore — a former graphic designer and art director whose simple, everyday scenes use distorted perspective and unexpected juxtaposition to create what he calls a surreal mood.

Concordial Evening - 51x39cm — more by James Willebrant →



Dangerman's Lunar Lab - 153x153cm — more by Ross Wilsmore →

Prices in this collection range from around $4,500 to $18,500, depending on scale and artist.

SOHO Galleries has been Sydney's home for original Australian art for over 35 years, with delivery and installation available nationwide.

If you're interested in any surrealist artwork, contact us today.

Surrealist art FAQ
Who are your surrealist artists? This collection is led by James Willebrant and Ross Wilsmore, each bringing a distinct imaginative and symbolic visual language shaped by decades of practice.
What's the difference between surrealist and abstract art? Surrealist work keeps recognisable subjects — figures, objects, places — but arranges them in dreamlike or illogical ways. Abstract art typically abandons recognisable subject matter altogether in favour of pure shape, colour and form.
Does a surrealist piece suit any room? It works especially well as a single striking piece in a space that already has calmer, more straightforward work elsewhere — a hallway, study or reading nook where it can hold attention on its own.
Can I buy surrealist art online? Yes — every piece in this collection is available for purchase online with Australia-wide delivery, or you can view them in person at our Woollahra, Sydney gallery.