January ushers in a vibrant lineup of art exhibitions across Australia, offering a rich tapestry of creativity to explore.
From the unveiling of COMA Gallery's new flagship space in Sydney, featuring Justin Williams' deeply personal Waiting for Lavender, to the Pacific Sisters’ bold celebration of Moana heritage at Bunjil Place in Victoria, these exhibitions showcase diverse voices and cultural narratives.
Highlights include the Bankstown Biennale’s exploration of multiculturalism and equity, Dhopiya Yunupiŋu’s intricate bark series at Sullivan+Strumpf, and the 11th Asia Pacific Triennial’s sweeping presentation at QAGOMA in Brisbane.
Whether you’re drawn to contemporary street art in Melbourne or historic reflections at AGSA’s Radical Textiles in Adelaide, each gallery invites you to delve into themes of migration, belonging, and innovation. This is your guide to the must-see shows shaping the cultural landscape this month.
NSW
COMA Gallery
Waiting for Lavender – 31 January until 22 February 2025
COMA is unveiling its new flagship gallery space with Waiting for Lavender, a solo exhibition by Justin Williams at 37 Chapel Street, Marrickville, Sydney. Williams' evocative works explore themes of migration and belonging, weaving his family’s pre-World War II history in Alexandria, Egypt, into a poignant reflection on finding home.
Bankstown Arts Centre
3rd Bankstown Biennale: Same Same/Different – until 1 February 2025
An exhibition showcasing works by 17 prominent First Nations and artists of colour, exploring equitable multiculturalism and cultural interconnectedness through a thought-provoking curatorial lens. In association with Sydney Festival 2025’s Art Up Late program, they will also be presenting an exciting series of public events running from 9–23 January through workshops, performances, and community activities.
Sullivan+Strumpf
Marwat –from 30 January until 22 February 2025.
The third solo exhibition by Dhopiya Yunupiŋu, youngest of the renowned seven Yunupinyu sisters and a revered custodian of Yolŋu cultural knowledge. Featuring new works on bark, Yunupiŋu’s latest series delves into the threads of galiku, djårritjarri, and manydjarrka, exploring the intricate connections of Yolŋu cosmology and family ties through her evolving visual language.
QLD
QAGOMA
The 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art – until 27 April 2025
An exhibition featuring 70 artists, collectives, and projects from over 30 countries, including first-time contributions from Saudi Arabia, Timor-Leste, and Uzbekistan, exploring themes of cultural heritage, migration, and environmental care through diverse and community-driven art forms.
VIC
National Gallery of Victoria: Wurrdha Marra
Bark Salon – ongoing
The NGV's largest exhibition of over 150 bark paintings, showcasing works from more than 30 First Nations Communities, tracing the evolution of this rich medium across time and place in a salon-style hang at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia.
Bunjil Place
FROCK A WHANAUNGATANGA – until 8 March 2025
This major exhibition celebrates the Pacific Sisters' vibrant legacy, weaving fashion, performance, film, and music into a dynamic tribute to Moana heritage. Audiences will encounter niu aitu avatars adorned in the Sisters’ intricate handmade garments alongside ancestral taonga and measina, reflecting their pioneering fusion of tradition and contemporary art with a powerful commitment to advocacy.
Corner of Flinders Lane and Hosier Lane
The Outsiders Melbourne – from 12 December 2024
A ground-breaking exhibition of street art showcasing over 100 works from Australia’s largest street art collection, including pieces by Banksy, Rone, Adnate, and Shepard Fairey, offering an insider's view into the rebellious spirit of the global street art movement.
ACT
National Gallery of Australia
Ethel Carrick and Anne Dangar – from 7 December 2024
Parallel exhibitions on Ethel Carrick – a vibrant post-impressionist painter known for her luminous depictions of diverse crowds – and Anne Dangar – a cubist ceramicist, celebrate two trailblazing women artists of the early 20th century who defied convention – with Carrick's 140-piece retrospective being the most comprehensive to date.
NT
Museum and Art Gallery: Northern Territory
Cyclone Tracy – reopening from 7 December 2024
Commemorating the devastating 1974 storm that reshaped Darwin, this exhibition is closed for refurbishment until 7 December 2024, ahead of its 50th anniversary.
SA
Art Gallery of South Australia
Radical Textiles – until 30 March 2025
AGSA explores 150 years of textile innovation, showcasing over 100 artists, designers, and activists who have used fabric as a medium for social change, cultural connection, and artistic expression, from William Morris to Sonia Delaunay, through historic works and contemporary commissions.
WA
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Impossible Island – until 18 May 2025
This exhibition showcases 113 photographs spanning 40 years (1983–2023) by legendary photographer Henry Roy, capturing the beauty and richness of his artistic journey through places like Haiti, Paris, and Marrakesh, and reflecting influences from his exile, love of literature, and passion for New Wave French cinema.
