Badger and Fox Gallery

A Heritage Sanctuary for Art in Surry Hills

Badger and Fox Gallery is tucked away inside a heritage-listed, convict-built terrace in Surry Hills, NSW 2010. The 19th-century building creates an intimate setting for original fine art and photography. You'll see both contemporary and historical work hung with proper attention, in a space that mixes real architectural character with a relaxed vibe. The gallery runs by appointment only, so visits feel personal and unhurried, which is pretty different from the usual art retail setup where quantity tends to win out over actually spending time with the pieces.

Peter Maddison founded and runs the place. He's a photographer and serious art collector who's spent decades supporting Australian and international artists alike. He's also a partner at Filter Fine Art, which represents major contemporary artists including Damien Hirst, Julian Opie, Howard Hodgkin, and Antony Gormley. That split between emerging and established names says a lot about how Peter approaches art. It's genuine passion for the work, shared with people who actually give a damn about it.

All kinds of art: old masters to new artists

The collection pulls together five centuries of work, starting in the 1600s and running through to now. You'll see contemporary pieces sitting next to abstraction, portraiture next to landscape, surrealism, photography, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, minimalism, prints, drawings, and works on paper. It's genuinely broad. A postcard-sized drawing by an artist working today might catch your eye just as easily as a major photograph by someone well-known. The price range is just as varied.

Peter started out collecting Australian photography, showing work by Max Dupain, David Moore, Harold Cazneaux, and Bill Henson through the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of NSW. Over time the collection grew to include Irving Penn, André Kertész, Brassai, and Gary Winogrand. He's also got a serious private archive of Japanese photography from the Edo and Meiji periods (1860-1899). The gallery keeps pushing emerging artists from Australia and elsewhere, and holds a sizeable collection in storage that hasn't made it online yet.

How You Can Buy Art Here

Badger and Fox Gallery offers payment options that work for different budgets. The ArtMoney scheme splits the cost across ten interest-free monthly payments, which takes away some of the sting when you're looking at a decent artwork. Peter talks through the tax side of things too, including what you might claim under the ATO's Instant Asset Write-off scheme if you're buying for a workspace. This stuff goes on the gallery's blog so you can work out whether a purchase makes financial sense before you hand over cash.

The gallery keeps things moving with regular blog posts about new arrivals, artist bios, and notes on what's come in. You'll find work from Garry Shead, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Jean Cocteau among the collection. They run themed shows like 'The Soft Flow of Time', which pulled together three important Australian photographers and showed some real thinking about how to present work. It means the blog and the space itself teach you something about the artists and what's happening in contemporary and historical art.

Institutional Credibility and Industry Partnerships

Badger and Fox Gallery in Surry Hills, NSW 2010 has built real connections with Australia's major cultural institutions. Flash Graphics, Peter's large-format production facility, backs the National Gallery of Australia and has worked on major shows: 'James Turrell, A Retrospective', 'Mudmen' by Ramesh Nithiyendran, Fiona Hall's 'Wrong Way Time', and 'Light Moves: Contemporary Australian Video Art'. These aren't token relationships. They reflect genuine involvement with serious contemporary art practice.

The gallery's reputation rests on doing the basics properly. Collectors mention the careful documentation of works, reliable shipping, and quick responses to overseas enquiries. What matters most is that pieces arrive in perfect condition and match what you were told. Institutional partners don't do business with cowboys, and Badger and Fox Gallery operates with the same rigour they demand.

Visiting and Getting in Touch

The gallery runs by appointment only. This means Peter and the team can actually talk through what you're after instead of dealing with walk-ins. Ring +61 416 199 313 or email info@BadgerandFoxGallery.com to set something up. They'll get the space ready, chat about your interests, and fill you in on whatever catches your eye. It turns into a proper conversation rather than a quick glance around.

The online gallery lets you browse from anywhere. They keep the digital inventory fresh with newly acquired works across all their collecting areas. You can hunt for specific artists, track down particular movements, or filter by price. It's worth having a look online first before making the trip out to their space in Surry Hills, NSW 2010.