Auction results over the past decade indicate that collector interest in major Australian artists remains consistent. Works by figures such as Sidney Nolan, Brett Whiteley, Arthur Boyd, John Olsen, and Emily Kame Kngwarreye continue to anchor the market and provide a degree of stability within the broader auction landscape. These artists form the historical core of the Australian secondary market and frequently establish benchmark prices that influence wider collecting patterns.

Across centuries we returned to it again and again, refining, enlarging, dramatising. Renaissance marble charged it with tension. Modernism fractured it under existential pressure. But beneath all stylistic shifts sits something more enduring and more revealing.

We are obsessed with ourselves.

Not in the shallow sense of vanity, but in the deeper sense that the human body is the only structure we permanently inhabit. It is our measure of scale, our calibration of space, our index of time. We wake inside it, age inside it, suffer and desire inside it. And yet in daily life we barely register it. We pass ageing bodies, resting bodies, bodies in swimmers at the beach, and they dissolve into background.

Until an artist intervenes.

Part of the reason these public numbers matter so much is that the primary market is famously opaque. Galleries rarely disclose pricing histories for their artists. In many cases, even long-standing collectors struggle to know who is telling the truth about what a work actually sold for. Red dots on a wall can mean a genuine sale, a reserved work, or sometimes strategic theatre. Attending exhibitions gives some insight, but it is never a guarantee. The gallery sector has always relied on discretion, relationships and trust, and that makes transparent market analysis difficult. By contrast, auction houses operate in the open. Their results form a public record that can be referenced, tested and corroborated, which is one reason collectors and advisors pay attention when a strong price lands.

Although its celebrated moment was in Venice back in 2024, I only encountered Archie Moore’s kith and kin on a recent trip to Brisbane, where it remains on show at GOMA until 18 October 2026. After seeing the work, I found myself in two minds about writing anything at all about this exhibition, wondering if it might simply feel like old news. It has been covered from every angle, examined by critics, curators and journalists since its debut in Venice. Yet this was my first encounter with the work in person, and that felt reason enough to put something down. There is a difference between reading about kith and kin and standing inside it, letting the room settle around you and discovering what the work does when it meets your own pace, your own attention.

The coastal walk of Sculpture by the Sea from Bondi to Tamarama has become a rhythm I look forward to each year. No matter how many times I go, it still catches me off guard, that first meeting of the ocean, sandstone cliffs, salt in the air, and sculptures scattered as if the tide delivered them overnight. It draws crowds from far and wide, thousands walking the track with coffee in hand, phones ready, faces turned toward steel, stone, glass, timber, bronze. More than one hundred artists from eighteen countries this year. Some works are intimate and almost fragile, others monumental, built to withstand wind and time. Materials ranged from carved wood and shimmering glass to recycled netting and the enduring alchemy of bronze.

When a selection of artistic heavyweights goes on display, a three-hour drive from Sydney to Canberra feels like a small price to pay for the chance to stand before works that have changed the way we see art. Once considered shocking or dubious in their refinement, these artworks are now studied by art history students in lecture theatres around the world and fill the shelves of countless bookshops. Not having to travel overseas to see a collection like this is one of the great privileges offered by institutions like the National Gallery of Australia. As the saying goes, we are spoilt with riches.

Visiting the Archibald, Wynne, and Sulman Prizes has always felt like a small adventure. Even if you have done your homework, browsed the AGNSW website, and flicked through thumbnails on your iPhone or computer, nothing compares to standing in front of the actual works. The experience is immediate and unfiltered.

Scale alone can completely transform an artwork. It can dominate the room with presence or draw you in for a quiet, personal exchange. And then there are the textures: the thick impasto applied with a knife and the subtle brushwork glazed in fine layers. These details often vanish under the flattening lens of a camera, but in person, they come alive. They catch the light and reveal the artist's process in a way no screen ever could.

In the context of Australia, Indigenous art holds unique significance. It represents one of the country's most profound contributions to global culture and continues to draw increasing international attention. Highly prized for its authenticity, sophistication, and deep connection to Country, Indigenous Australian art is now collected by major institutions across Europe, North America, and Asia.

Arriving in Bangkok for the final week of the Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) 2024, titled Nurture Gaia, I knew my step counter was in for a serious workout across 11 diverse venues. Thankfully, Bangkok’s flat terrain made the journey manageable—though the city’s ever-present heat proved to be an endurance test in itself.

This year's biennale, marking its fourth edition, ran from October 24, 2024, to February 25, 2025, showcasing 76 artists from 39 countries. Over 240 artworks were spread across an array of venues, ranging from traditional heritage sites to cutting-edge contemporary spaces, each offering a unique engagement with the overarching theme: Nurture Gaia.

Two Idiots captures a period of tremendous artistic output for Adam Cullen, framed by his achievements in 2004 and 2005. This piece not only exemplifies his signature style but is also secured by its strong provenance, making it a compelling acquisition for collectors and a vital piece of Cullen’s legacy.

Ben Quilty has firmly established himself as a leading figure in contemporary Australian art, renowned for his bold, expressive works that often challenge societal norms. As Quilty's reputation has grown, so has the market for his art, with his works consistently achieving impressive prices at auction. However, like all artists, the pricing of Quilty's works is influenced by various factors, including the specific piece, its provenance, and prevailing market conditions.

The Archibald Prize has long been a cornerstone of the Australian art scene, celebrated for its rich history and occasional controversies. Established in 1921 through a bequest by J.F. Archibald, founder of The Bulletin magazine, the prize was intended to promote portraiture and honor the memory of great Australians.

As the world's largest free-to-the-public sculpture exhibition, this annual event celebrates its 25th year, drawing art enthusiasts, families, and tourists alike into a mesmerizing exploration of the intersection between art and nature.

She stood out like an A-list celebrity in a local bar, and we just couldn’t help but rubberneck every time we passed her by.

The sights in Barcelona are plentiful, from sun-drenched beaches where you can watch beach volleyball to wandering through streets enveloped by the enticing aromas of local restaurants and the heat of a summer's day. As you navigate the myriad of winding streets and alleyways, you'll encounter places rich in history and culture, spaces where the luminaries of art history have trod before

As someone who journeyed from Australia to Switzerland, this was my inaugural experience at the event, thus adding an extra layer of anticipation for what would unfold over the subsequent days.

Drawn by the allure of one of Australia's most distinguished artists, Tracey Moffatt, I ventured to Poland to immerse myself in the exhibition "No Master Territories: Feminist Worldmaking and the Moving Image

Stepping into the gallery, I found myself enveloped in a mesmerizing tapestry of color and emotion, with a hint of the Australian High Commission subtly purveying the room—fitting for an artist of Barton's stature.

Drawn from previous editions of the Bangkok Art Biennale and the Bangkok Art Biennale Foundation collection, this showcase offered a tantalizing glimpse into the evolution of contemporary art.