Andrew Sullivan Australia
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Sullivan's works—whether portraits, still lifes or elaborate narrative compositions—unfold as complex visual tapestries, weaving together memory, melancholy, and history.
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Biography
Lives and works in Sydney, Australia
Andrew Sullivan is a celebrated Sydney-based artist whose distinctive practice has spanned more than three decades. A graduate of the National Art School, Sullivan has developed a highly idiosyncratic visual language marked by meticulous detail, rich symbolism, and a darkly humorous sensibility. His works—whether portraits, still lifes or elaborate narrative compositions—unfold as complex visual tapestries, weaving together memory, melancholy, and history.
Sullivan’s imagery often draws from diverse knowledge systems—ranging from science and superstition to mythology and natural history—layered with collagist and trompe-l’oeil techniques that recall the flatness and intricacy of Ukiyo-e prints. His works invite close observation: what at first glance appears whimsical or absurd gradually reveals deeper narrative currents, rendered with painterly precision and luminous detail.
Living and working on Gadigal land in Sydney, Sullivan continues to create compelling and unexpected worlds that invite contemplation and delight. His latest body of work, presented in Nightly, Daily, brings together a selection of striking new paintings that exemplify his singular vision and enduring relevance.
Winner of the 2014 Sulman Prize, and a finalist in major national awards including the Archibald Prize, the Blake Art Prize, and the Mosman Art Prize, Sullivan has exhibited extensively across Australia and New Zealand. His paintings are held in major public and private collections, including the National Portrait Gallery, Artbank, the National Art School, Ballarat Regional Art Gallery, and Buxton Contemporary.
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Works
Andrew Sullivan
The Bower, 2023Oil on canvas89 x 60cmSoldExhibitions
Nightly, Daily, Nanda\Hobbs - Gallery Two, 14-30 August 2025Exhibitions
