12 unmissable art exhibitions to see in Australia in 2024

One of Australia’s finest artists gets the expansive, culture-centred career retrospective she deserves with this sweeping look at the distinct worldview and impressive output of the late, great Anmatyerr woman. Blazing her own trail in batik, tie-die and acrylic on canvas, Kngwarray was and remains a titan of the global art scene who brought incredible personal depth to her magnificent contribution to the central desert art movement from the ’70s on. Unmissable stuff from an unforgettable force.

Where: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

When: Until April 28

This year, Australian exhibitions highlight powerhouse First Nations creatives, with the Art Gallery of West Australia devoting its gallery spaces to the largest-ever collection of Kokatha and Nukunu artist Yhonnie Scarce’s ethereal glassworks. From her large-scale chandelier-like pieces evoking ghostly reminders of the long-shadow of colonisation and the lasting impact of nuclear testing in Indigenous communities to her more intimate works, this is a truly spectacular career overview of one of our most exciting living artists.

Where: Art Gallery of West Australia, Perth

When: Until May 19

Curated by Artspace, Sydney, this sprawling showcase of some of Australia’s most exciting contemporary artists is touring the country and is currently showing at Darwin’s Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory before alighting in Port Macquarie’s Glasshouse Regional Gallery (August 24 – November 3) and the Redcliffe Art Gallery in Queensland (November 23 – February 15, 2025). You can discover works by blockbuster sculptor Patricia Piccinini, multi-disciplinary artist Abdul Abdullah, Chinese-Australian artist Louise Zhang and so much more.

Where: Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin

When: Until June 2

Are you ready to chase artistic escapades around the city? Sydney's epic contemporary art festival is back for its 24th edition in 2024. Whether you’re a dedicated arts fanatic or a casual culture buff, you’ll find something to inspire and provoke you along this epic art trail. The largest contemporary art event of its kind in Australia, the Biennale is taking over six different locations with awe-inspiring installations and intriguing exhibitions. Titled Ten Thousand Suns, this year the festival explores a multiplicity of global cultures, taking on a transgressive spirit as it leans into the origins of Carnivale. As always, the Biennale is free for everyone to visit for a total of 16 weeks.  

Where: White Bay Power Station and other locations around Sydney

When: Until June 10

Italian polymath, painter, inventor and astounding genius Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most celebrated artists and scientists of all time, yet seeing his works is typically out of reach for the average Aussie. Well, all that’s about to change thanks to the Lume’s latest immersive experience. Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius will feature massive projections of some of the world’s most famous works of art, including the ‘Mona Lisa’ and ‘The Last Supper’, along with groundbreaking inventions from his notebooks recreated to scale, and original pages of da Vinci’s sketches and writings.

Where: The Lume, Melbourne

When: Until June 16

 “What’s in a name?” The idea has captivated ever since Shakespeare had Juliet ask of Romeo in his tragic tale of star-crossed lovers. Hobart’s game-changing Museum of Old and New Arts digs into what makes the biggest names in the worlds of art and design, whether it’s gleaming sports cars like a Porsche or the surrealist panache of Picasso. Revealing unseen works from founder David Walsh’s collection alongside international loans, Namedropping examines status and the power we place in certain monikers.

Where: MONA (Museum of Old and New Art), Hobart

When: Opening June

It’s the face that stops the nation. Australia’s favourite portrait prize is back for 2024, and as always it's a delight to see which famous faces have made it into the mix of painterly interpretations. Every year, just shy of 1,000 paintings are submitted, and you can peruse the 50-or-so finalists at the Art Gallery of NSW, after which they’ll ship off around the country.

Where: Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

When: June 8 – September 8

Walk, talk and gawp like an Egyptian with this blockbuster exhibition all about ancient Egyptian art and culture. The NGV's Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition for 2024, Pharaoh, will constitute the biggest loan of ancient Egyptian artefacts that the British Museum has ever presented to international audiences – most of which will be on display in Australia for the very first time. Spanning from the first dynasty (3000 BCE) to the Roman period (fourth century CE), visitors can explore works commissioned by Egypt’s most famous kings and queens, including the boy king Tutankhamun; Ramses II and Queen Nefetari; Khufu, builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza; and foreign leaders such as Alexander the Great.

Where: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

When: June 14 – October 6

Art is fashion in the eye-popping canon of Dutch designer Iris van Herpen, whose astounding creations have graced the shoulders of our Cate Blanchett, as well as Tilda Swinton, Lady Gaga, Björk and Beyoncé. Throwing out the rulebook of what can be done with textiles, she fuses delicately hand-stitched tradition with totally trippy new frontiers in quantum physics-inspired 3D printing. Co-curated with the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the show is accompanied by works from soundscape artist Salvador Breed, Canadian artist Philip Beesley, Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang and other like-minds.

Where: Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Brisbane

When: June 29  – October 7

If you missed this excellent celebration of Namatjira’s work – the first Aboriginal artist to win the Archibald Prize for his fabulous depiction of proud footy player Adam Goodes – at the Art Gallery of South Australia, fear not. It’s landed at the NGA in Canberra. His satirical swipes at everything from the British royals to former President Trump are delicious, as are his empowered depictions of homegrown heroes, including Olympian Cathy Freeman.

Where: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

When: Until July 21

The Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art’s consistently remarkable Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art returns for its 11th illustrious outing this year, with a strong focus on First Nations artists, creatives of many diasporas and other minority backgrounds, with the emphasis on community collectives. The list of 70-plus practitioners is yet to be revealed, but you can expect showstoppers and emerging artists to sit side-by-side in a must-see show amplified by live performances, film screenings and a kids’ program.

Where: Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Brisbane

When: November 3, 2024 – April 27, 2025

In a world in turmoil, this group show champions the vitally important role textile works have played in activism, protest and community organisation, which is timely indeed. Examining some 150 years’ worth of fabric that sends its message loud and clear, Radical Textiles begins with the pushback against machine-driven industrialisation by British tapestry weaver William Morris and spins from there through 100 artists, both local and international, with the collection also including photography, painting, sculpture and video art.

Where: Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide

When: November 23, 2024 – March, 30 2025