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

ABC RADIO NATIONAL: Roger Swainston interviewed by Nick Bryant

22 March 2025

ABC Radio National's Nick Bryant interviewed Roger Swainston on Saturday 24 March about his quest to paint every species of rock lobster in the world—eight are on currently on show in our Project Space until Saturday 29 March. Click to listen to this fascinating interview.

 

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News

Melbourne Art Fair BOOTH M5

20 February 2025

Nanda\Hobbs is delighted to present three exceptional artists at the 2025 Melbourne Art Fair— David Fairbairn, Lottie Consalvo and Yoshio Honjo. 

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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.

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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)