BEAUTIFUL THINGS – On show now

18 January 2024

Nanda\Hobbs is proud to present our Summer Exhibition, and the first show of 2024, “Beautiful Things”. Far from conventional, this exhibition is testament to the nuanced complexities inherent in the diverse voices of contemporary art. The titular concept challenges viewers to perceive beauty not as a static construct, but as a dynamic, ever-evolving dialogue between artist and subject.

Here, the provocative strokes of Adam Cullen converse with the meditative softness of Hubert Pareroultja’s landscapes. Jun Chen’s energetic flora engages in visual discourse with Suzanne Archer’s environmental reflections, diverging from what we might immediately consider “beautiful”. James Powditch’s use of recycled materials, rusted from age and use, calls into question aesthetic standards of beauty. The works, expertly selected, weave together disparate threads of style, medium, and intention—an inquiry into the ways artists navigate and subvert established notions of beauty.

“Beautiful Things” is an homage to the perpetual quest for meaning and aesthetic significance in art. This is not a proclamation of absolute truths, but an invitation to join an ongoing discourse where beauty emerges as a subjective negotiation between artist and observer. Patrons are not merely spectators but active contributors to the age-old questions: How do we define what is beautiful? How does the artist challenge beauty as an aesthetic discipline?

Carefully selected secondary market and blue-chip works establish a fluid narrative, bridging the traditional and the contemporary. We are encouraged not just to witness, but to unravel the intricate threads that connect us to these beautiful things, in a way that is both complex and unapologetic. 

Anthea Mentzalis
January, 2024

Exhibiting Artists:

Rick AMOR, Suzanne ARCHER, Nicholas BLOWERS, Peter BOOTH, Jun CHEN, Adam CULLEN, James DRINKWATER, Dianne GALL, Katherine HATTAM, Aaron KINNANE, Sam LEACH, Robert MALHERBE, Lin ONUS, Hubert PAREROULTJA, James POWDITCH, Bill Whiskey TJAPALTJARRI

VIEW FULL CATALOGUE

Media

Washington Post Art Critic Sebastian Smee reviews the work of Matt Coyle in The Monthly, October 2024

1 October 2024

Coyle’s recent work, which he showed at Nanda\Hobbs gallery in Sydney this year, is utterly transfixing.

Read more
Media

Jun Chen painting sells at double the estimate, Shapiro Auctioneers 24 Sep

26 September 2024

The AFR's Salesroom has reported that a painting by Jun Chen sold for $18,750 at Shapiro's sale of Art and Objects from the Estate of Ray Hughes on Tuesday 24 September against estimates of $8000 to $10,000. It's the second highest price recorded at auction for Chen and is 25% higher than the current gallery price for a work of a similar size.

Read more
Media

The Post (New Zealand): Diaries from the Sydney Contemporary: Marie Mansfield

19 September 2024

The Post newspaper has published an interview with New Zealand born Marie Mansfield who enjoyed sell-out success with Nanda\Hobbs at Sydney Contemporary 2024. 19 Sep 2024.

Read more
12 - 14 Meagher Street Chippendale, NSW 2008
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm Saturday, 11am - 4pm Summer Dates: The gallery will close on Friday 20 December and reopen on Monday 13 January, 2025 Closed Public Holidays (and Easter Saturday)