Figurative art is one of the oldest forms of art around, and for good reason. At its most basic, it shows stuff you can actually recognise: usually people, but also animals, objects, and landscapes that look like something real. Abstract art is different because it's all about colour, shape, and composition doing their own thing. With figurative work, you've got a subject front and centre, though the way the artist treats it can swing wildly from dead accurate to wildly stylised or raw and expressive.
Newtown, Sydney
16albermarle Project Space is a Sydney gallery that shows contemporary art from regional and international artists. You'll find experimental exhibitions, screenprints and mixed-media work here. The space works collaboratively, putting together group shows and artist projects that deal with current social and cultural issues, often teaming up with independent print studios.
Emerging
Nicholls, Canberra
Aarwun Gallery opened in 1999 in Canberra and shows work by Australian artists. You'll find everything from paintings to prints, ceramics, glass, and bronze sculpture. They work across a fair range - landscape and portrait painting, contemporary art, and Indigenous art.
Emerging · Mid · Established
West End, Brisbane
Aboriginal Art Co Gallery is a First Nations-led not-for-profit in West End, Brisbane (QLD 4101) that shows contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. You'll find paintings, sculptures, fibre art, and wearable pieces here, along with cultural artefacts from Indigenous artists. They run both a physical space and sell online. The gallery also puts on exhibitions, runs workshops, and does art tours.
Emerging · Mid
Nicholls, Canberra
Aboriginal Dreamings Gallery is a long-standing Canberra gallery that deals in ethically sourced Australian Indigenous art and craft from communities and art centres around the country. The gallery runs rotating exhibitions roughly every four to six weeks and has built up a collection ranging from work going back to the 1970s through to pieces made today. It's committed to supporting Indigenous artists' rights and holds membership in both the Indigenous Art Code and the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia.
Darwin City, Darwin
Aboriginal Fine Arts is a Darwin gallery that works directly with Indigenous artists across the NT to stock their work. They've been running for over 30 years, dealing in paintings, bark artworks, and artefacts. The mob there reckon fair partnerships with artists matter, so they make sure the communities and cultural traditions get proper support out of it.
Emerging · Mid
Melbourne, Melbourne
Alcaston Gallery is a leading contemporary Melbourne gallery established in 1989, renowned for representing Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists alongside contemporary practitioners from Australia and the Asia Pacific region. The gallery provides curatorial guidance, valuations, and corporate services to collectors and institutions.
Sandringham, Melbourne
AMAGOA opened in 2006 as an Aboriginal and modern art gallery in Sandringham, Melbourne. They focus on Central and Western Desert Aboriginal art, stocking work from both up-and-coming and established artists. You'll find everything from small intimate pieces through to proper big statement works, plus a stockroom where you can grab discounted pieces if you're after a good deal.
Emerging
Dickson, Canberra
ANCA Inc. is a Canberra-based artist-run cooperative gallery and studios in Dickson housing the Australian National Capital Artists Incorporated. The gallery showcases contemporary printmaking and mixed-media work by local artists, with a curatorial focus on socially engaged practice and experimental printmaking techniques including etching, screen printing, photogravure and natural dye methods.
Fremantle, Perth
Anya Brock Gallery is an online studio and physical gallery space in Fremantle, WA 6160, working in contemporary paintings, prints, and illustrated homewares. You'll find abstract and figurative work here: landscapes, botanical pieces, birds, and designs inspired by reef life. They do original paintings, limited and open edition prints, plus a range of homewares. If you're after something custom, they take commissions and personal portraits, and they run art workshops too.
Melbourne, Melbourne
Arc One Gallery is a contemporary space in central Melbourne, located on Flinders Lane. It represents an established group of Australian and international artists working across painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking and mixed media. The gallery focuses on contemporary and experimental work, handling artist representation and commissions.
Edwardstown, Adelaide
Art by Farquhar is a family-run Adelaide gallery that works with contemporary Aboriginal artists from the Central Desert and APY Lands. They buy directly from the artists and their families, which means you're getting genuine paintings, prints and photography straight up, each with a certificate of authenticity. They're members of the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia and take pride in paying artists fairly, being transparent about where work comes from, and supporting Indigenous creators. You can shop in person or online.
Emerging · Mid
Perth, Perth
Art Collective WA is an independent Perth gallery that represents a solid range of Western Australian painters, sculptors and mixed-media artists. The space shows contemporary work across landscape, abstract and figurative practices, with a real focus on oil painting and three-dimensional forms that explore colour, material and place-based ideas.
Perth, Perth
Art Lease is a contemporary art rental service that works with both established and emerging artists, with a particular focus on Indigenous Australian practice. They help people and businesses find art for their spaces through a leasing model, so you can access original works without buying them outright.
Woollahra, Sydney
Art2Muse Gallery, based in Woollahra NSW 2025, represents 54 artists working in painting, sculpture, mixed media and works on paper. They offer art consultation and handle delivery and installation, with a focus on contemporary figurative and abstract pieces.
Windsor, Melbourne
Artemisia Gallery & Event Space sits in Windsor, Melbourne, and operates four gallery spaces with changing exhibitions. The venue backs all sorts of artistic work and gives First Nations artists a discount on rates. They're pretty focused on making sure their programming works for the community.
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Arthouse Gallery is a commercial Sydney gallery in Darlinghurst that works with a number of contemporary Australian artists doing painting, printmaking, sculpture, and ceramics. They focus on figurative, landscape, and abstract work, with a strong interest in both up-and-coming and established painters who are interested in themes around place, identity, and nature.
Emerging · Mid · Established
South Fremantle, Perth
Artitja Fine Art Gallery in South Fremantle focuses on contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art from remote parts of Australia. They stock paintings, works on paper, sculpture and ceramics from artists based in desert and Top End communities. Since opening in 2004, the gallery has backed these artists and made sure their stories and voices stay front and centre.
Camperdown, Sydney
Artsite Contemporary is a Sydney gallery focused on contemporary Australian art across many mediums and styles. The gallery works with a range of established local and Indigenous artists, running rotating exhibitions and stocking available works. Located in Camperdown, it opens weekends by appointment and also does consultancy and event hire.
Emerging · Mid
Canberra, Canberra
Aboriginal Dreamings Gallery opened in Canberra back in 1989. It focuses on ethically sourced Australian Indigenous art and crafts, with pieces ranging from the 1970s through to today. The gallery works with artists from plenty of Indigenous communities and art centres right across the country. You'll find new exhibitions coming through every four to six weeks, plus they've got a solid collection available for collectors both here and overseas.
Kings Park, Perth
Aspects of Kings Park Gallery Shop sits at Kings Park in Perth and sells gifts and art from Australian makers. You'll find contemporary ceramics, glass, wooden pieces, jewellery, Aboriginal art, and nature-inspired gifts. The best bit? Every dollar made goes straight back to Kings Park and Botanic Garden.
Paddington, Brisbane
Aspire Gallery sits in Paddington, Brisbane and works with more than 70 contemporary artists. You'll find affordable to mid-range original paintings, prints and mixed media across the board here. They stock everything from landscapes and seascapes to figurative work and abstracts, plus themed collections focused on coastal and floral subjects.
Emerging · Mid
Collingwood, Melbourne
Australian Galleries opened in 1956 and now runs spaces in Melbourne and Sydney. They show work by significant contemporary Australian artists, with an extensive collection and a monthly exhibition program covering painting, sculpture, prints, works on paper, and photography.
Paddington, Sydney
Australian Galleries started in 1956 and now runs gallery spaces and storage facilities in both Melbourne and Sydney. They focus on contemporary Australian art, handling everything from paintings and sculptures to prints, drawings, and photos. The gallery works with plenty of different artists and puts on monthly shows that mix work from their regular roster with guest artists.
Surry Hills, Sydney
Badger and Fox Gallery is in a heritage terrace in Surry Hills (NSW, 2010) and specialises in original fine art from the 17th century through to now. The space is fairly compact, which means you get a proper look at whatever's on show. They stock a solid range, including contemporary work, modern and emerging artists, indigenous pieces, photography, drawings, prints and works on paper.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Adelaide, Adelaide
Bearded Dragon Gallery is run by Community Bridging Services Inc. as a social enterprise. It displays and sells contemporary art from both emerging and established artists. The gallery stocks paintings, ceramics and prints in different styles, and really puts the focus on making art accessible to the wider community.
Emerging · Mid
Hobart, Hobart
Bett Gallery is based in Hobart and works with a range of contemporary Tasmanian and Australian artists. You'll see paintings, photographs, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces there, covering everything from abstract and figurative work through to landscape art. What stands out is the focus on artists who are genuinely interested in exploring land, place, and environmental issues in their practice.
Fitzroy, Melbourne
Brunswick Street Gallery is a Melbourne gallery that features contemporary art by Indigenous Australian artists and up-and-coming contemporary artists. They run rotating exhibitions, commission studio work, and keep an online stockroom with paintings, sculptures, prints and paper-based works across various artistic styles and mediums.
Griffith, Canberra
{"text":"Canberra Art Workshop opened back in 1948 and has been a focal point for artists ever since. It runs self-directed art groups, tutored courses, workshops led by professionals, and member shows twice a year. You'll find paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture on display, covering all sorts of styles. The place welcomes beginners and experienced artists alike, with activities suited to people at any level of artistic practice."}.
Emerging
Parkes, Canberra
Canberra Contemporary is an independent, not-for-profit visual arts organisation that started back in 1981. It runs two gallery spaces in Parkes and Manuka. The outfit puts on ambitious exhibitions and public programs featuring both up-and-coming and established artists working across different mediums. They're keen on getting people to collaborate and experiment, both locally and internationally in the contemporary art world.
Sydney, Sydney
CBD Gallery is a contemporary space in Sydney's CBD that works with six represented artists across painting, sculpture, and textiles. You'll find everything from portraits and figurative pieces to abstract and landscape painting, covering both emerging and established contemporary work.
Mid
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Chalk Horse opened in 2007 in Darlinghurst as a contemporary art gallery. It represents a mix of Australian and international artists, runs curatorial projects around Sydney and Asia, and works to promote Australian artists overseas. In 2026, the gallery expanded into Thailand with CHOK MAA, an artist residency in Bangkok that offers studio space and exhibition opportunities.
Richmond, Melbourne
Charles Nodrum Gallery has been going since 1984, showing contemporary and mid-century work in Richmond. You'll find painting, sculpture, drawings, and photography from different movements: figurative stuff, abstraction, surrealism, and conceptual work. They keep a pretty active exhibition program running and maintain a stockroom collection too. Charles Nodrum Gallery, Richmond, VIC 3121.
Mid
Richmond, Melbourne
Christopher Vine Gallery is a gallery representing celebrated Australian artist Christopher Vine, whose abstract and figurative fine art practice spans over three decades. The gallery showcases paintings in acrylic, oil and mixed media alongside a curated selection of homeware and design products, with locations in Richmond, Melbourne and Surry Hills, Sydney.
Hobart, Hobart
Colville Gallery is a contemporary art space in Hobart run by appointment only from Collins Street. It represents Tasmanian and Australian artists working in painting, sculpture and mixed media. The gallery works with both established and emerging practitioners, concentrating on contemporary work.
North Hobart, Hobart
Contemporary Art Tasmania is a free public gallery in North Hobart where you can check out contemporary work in all sorts of mediums and art practices. They run regular exhibitions featuring both established and up-and-coming artists, and they offer studio spaces and curatorial mentorship to help support local artists.
West End, Brisbane
Creative Room Art Space is a Brisbane gallery that works with a range of contemporary painters, sculptors, and textile artists. You'll find figurative works, landscape and botanical painting, printmaking, and textile art here. The artists use all sorts of materials, oil and watercolour, bronze sculpture, ceramics. The gallery runs solo and group shows, holds artist workshops, and backs both established and emerging artists.
Fremantle, Perth
Current is an artist-run gallery in Fremantle, WA 6160 that focuses on contemporary and experimental art. The space lets artists test out different ideas, whether that's sculpture, ceramics, painting, or mixed media work from newer and more experienced artists alike. They run regular exhibitions and take submissions from the public through an open call process.
Paddington, Sydney
Defiance Gallery operates out of Paddington, Sydney, and represents a range of contemporary Australian artists who work in painting, sculpture, printmaking and mixed media. They show landscape, seascape, figurative and abstract pieces, though painting is their main focus. The gallery runs regular exhibitions for emerging and mid-career artists, administers the Defiance Award, and works on conservation projects.
Emerging
Hobart, Hobart
Despard Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery in Hobart, Tasmania, that focuses on figurative and landscape painting. The gallery works with established and emerging Australian artists, showing oil paintings, mixed-media works, and photographic pieces. They run regular exhibitions and offer private sales as well.
Mid
Woollahra, Sydney
Dickerson Gallery is a commercial art space in Woollahra, NSW, where you'll find contemporary and figurative work. Sitting on Queen Street, it shows off painting, sculpture and mixed media from both established and emerging artists. They run regular exhibitions throughout the year.
Rushcutters Bay, Sydney
Dominik Mersch Gallery opened in 2006 at Rushcutters Bay and focuses on work by emerging, mid-career and established Australian and European artists. The shows are conceptually strong and visually compelling. The gallery runs exhibitions, panel discussions, performances and special projects in its physical space and online, attracting serious collectors and sparking real conversation about what's happening in contemporary art today. NSW 2011.
Newtown, Sydney
DRAW Space is an artist-run venue in Newtown, Sydney, focused on contemporary drawing. The gallery puts on shows that look at all sorts of drawing work, from artists who've been at it for years to newer people finding their way. It's a place where artists and the public come together to work with and experience drawing as a main thing.
Clontarf, Brisbane
Dreamtime Kullilla-Art is an online art shop based in Brisbane that sells Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork, cultural products, and contemporary gallery pieces. They work with several Aboriginal artists and stock everything from high-end gallery works to more affordable pieces, plus cultural merchandise and educational materials.
Collingwood, Melbourne
e+Hive is a Melbourne-based gallery representing contemporary artists from Australia and South East Asia. The gallery specialises in fine art exhibitions, functional ceramics and pottery, and design homeware, with a curatorial focus on traditional handcraft techniques and East Asian aesthetics.
Bayswater, Perth
Ellis House Art Centre is a community gallery in Bayswater, Perth, where you'll find rotating shows of contemporary art across various mediums. They run regular art classes and workshops in drawing, painting, and portraiture. It's a place where local artists and people interested in art come together to work and create.
Woollahra, Sydney
Fellia Melas Gallery in Woollahra, NSW, represents work from some of Australia's top contemporary and established artists. You'll find figurative and landscape paintings, sculpture, and printmaking across the space. The gallery operates in both primary and secondary markets, running regular solo and group shows with a solid stockroom of available pieces.
Adelaide, Adelaide
FELTspace is an artist-run gallery in Adelaide, SA 5000, on Angas Street. It shows rotating exhibitions of contemporary art by emerging and established artists. The space also runs graduate support programmes and gives artists a community platform for creative talk and exhibition chances.
Paddington, Brisbane
Field Trip is a contemporary art gallery in Paddington, Brisbane, showing rotating exhibitions of modern art. You'll find painting, ceramics, mixed media, photography and textiles on the walls. The gallery works with both established and emerging artists, and they put on talks and community events pretty regularly.
Bowen Hills, Brisbane
FireWorks Gallery opened in 1993 in Brisbane and focuses on contemporary Indigenous Australian art, portraiture and mixed-media. They work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, regional groups, and non-Indigenous artists doing contemporary work. A big part of what they do is support artists' estates and help keep cultural work alive.
Mid
Woolloomooloo, Sydney
Firstdraft is a non-profit, artist-run gallery in Woolloomooloo that backs experimental contemporary art. They run exhibitions, commissions and writers programs. The gallery shows emerging and established artists working in painting, moving image, sound, textiles, drawing and digital practice. They focus on risk-taking, inclusion and artistic labour.
Emerging
Melbourne, Melbourne
Flinders Lane Gallery sits in Melbourne's Nicholas Building and shows work by both established and up-and-coming Australian artists. They focus on painting, sculpture, prints and other contemporary art, with a steady stream of exhibitions on rotation.
Surry Hills, Sydney
Flinders Street Gallery in Surry Hills, NSW 2010, runs contemporary art shows with both up-and-coming and established artists. You'll find painting, drawing, and mixed media on display. The gallery rotates its exhibitions regularly, showing work from the artists they represent, which covers everything from figurative stuff through to abstraction and landscapes.
Collingwood, Melbourne
Fox Galleries is a contemporary art space in Collingwood, Melbourne, that works with a number of artists doing all sorts of conceptual and visual work. Since 2016, they've been putting on monthly exhibitions of both older and newer pieces, and they've got a private sales area where you can get valuations and insurance assessments done.
Mid · Established
Collingwood, Melbourne
FUTURES is a contemporary art gallery in Collingwood that works with a range of emerging and established Australian artists making paintings, sculptures, and mixed media. The gallery puts on regular shows from both artists it represents and visiting artists, while respecting the Traditional Custodians of the land.
Surry Hills, Sydney
Gallery 144 is a contemporary art gallery in Surry Hills, Sydney, that works with both established and emerging artists. You'll find painting, printmaking, mixed media and sculpture on the walls. The artists the gallery represents work across abstract, figurative and landscape styles.
Emerging
Marrickville, Sydney
Gallery 371 is an artist-run space in Marrickville, Sydney. They put on rotating shows of contemporary art from local and international artists. The gallery handles a pretty broad range of work and styles. You'll find painting, watercolours, mixed media and photography. There's plenty of representational stuff too, including seascapes, landscapes and figurative pieces. The place has a friendly vibe and a real community feel about it. They run group shows and solo exhibitions with both up-and-coming and more established artists.
Newtown, Sydney
Gallery LNL is a contemporary gallery in Newtown, Sydney, focused on ceramics and Australian art. The gallery works with painters, ceramic artists and sculptors who make contemporary, abstract and figurative pieces. They run regular exhibitions and take part in major art fairs.
Surry Hills, Sydney
Gallery OZ is a Sydney gallery focused on contemporary urban and street art. They work with a solid lineup of established artists who create paintings, prints, photographs, and sculptures, with particular interest in pop-art, minimalism, and figurative work. You can buy original pieces, limited-edition prints, and framed works either online or by visiting the gallery.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Prahran, Melbourne
Gallerysmith is a contemporary art gallery in Melbourne that focuses on collectible work by both established and up-and-coming Australian artists. The place stocks over 600 original pieces covering painting, sculpture, ceramics and photography. They'll help you out with art advice tailored to what you're after, framing, getting work installed properly, and they can arrange studio visits too.
Collingwood, Melbourne
Gertrude is an independent, artist-run gallery and studio complex in Collingwood, Melbourne. It operates across two spaces: Gertrude Contemporary and Gertrude Glasshouse. The organisation runs exhibitions, provides studio support for working artists, and puts on public programs, educational activities, and publishing work focused on contemporary visual arts.
Collingwood, Melbourne
Goldstone Gallery is a contemporary art space in Collingwood, VIC 3066 that takes on social issues through the work it shows and the stands it takes. You'll find glass installations, detailed paper pieces, ceramics and ritual objects by artists interested in memory, spirituality, light and transformation. The gallery's program puts energy into giving a platform to voices that get left out and speaking up against antisemitism.
Emerging · Mid
Fyshwick, Canberra
Grainger Gallery is a commercial fine art gallery in Fyshwick, ACT 2609. It represents a solid lineup of contemporary Australian artists and operates from a dedicated studio-gallery space. The gallery handles framing services and works across painting, sculpture, and mixed-media pieces, covering figurative, landscape, and abstract styles.
Emerging · Mid
Hobart, Hobart
Handmark Gallery is a commercial gallery in Hobart, TAS 7000, representing a number of contemporary artists who work across painting, sculpture, ceramics, works on paper and jewellery. They offer art consultancy if you're kitting out a home or workplace, and they're always putting on shows from their roster of artists.
West Perth, Perth
Holmes a Court Gallery runs two spaces in Western Australia. The main one's at 10 in West Perth's Pickle District, with another site out at Vasse Felix near Margaret River. They put together exhibitions from the Janet Holmes à Court Collection, focusing on contemporary Australian art. The curatorial angle emphasises cross-cultural artistic dialogue, indigenous representation, and how contemporary and traditional art practices overlap and feed into each other.
West End, Brisbane
They run artist residencies and offer studio tenancies at decent rates for people just getting started. The place is set up for artists to work together, try new stuff, and actually connect with each other across different forms and mediums. It's basically where artists work and where the local creative community hangs out.
Beulah Park, Adelaide
Hugo Michell Gallery is a commercial Adelaide gallery that represents contemporary artists working across multiple mediums. The gallery features work in hand-stamped printmaking, hand-built ceramics, and sculptural installations. It focuses on both emerging and established artists who work with abstract and figurative approaches.
Teneriffe, Brisbane
Jan Manton Gallery is a Brisbane outfit that works with a number of contemporary Australian and international artists. They show everything from abstract and figurative painting through to sculpture, photography, and works on paper. There's a real focus on contemporary art that sits somewhere between conceptual and expressive work.
Mid
Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
Jan Murphy Gallery is based in Fortitude Valley and represents a solid range of contemporary artists. You'll find painting, sculpture, textiles and mixed media on the walls. The gallery works with both seasoned and up-and-coming artists, so the shows cover figurative work, landscapes, abstract pieces and indigenous art practices.
Fremantle, Perth
Japingka Aboriginal Art sits on Fremantle's High Street and focuses on contemporary paintings by Indigenous artists from right across the country. They represent more than 50 artists and stock acrylic works on canvas and linen covering everything from Dreaming stories to cultural symbols. You can browse their collection online or visit the physical gallery. They're accredited by the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia and the Indigenous Art Code.
Emerging · Mid
Perth, Perth
Kamilė Gallery is a Perth-based contemporary gallery that focuses on museum-quality Aboriginal, Australian and international art. The gallery represents 17 artists and shows work across multiple mediums, from acrylic paintings to mixed media and sculpture. It works with both emerging and established artists.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Rozelle, Sydney
Kate Owen Gallery, based in Rozelle, NSW 2039, focuses on contemporary Indigenous Australian art. It works with over 200 artists from both remote and urban areas across the country. The space spans 600 square metres across three levels. You'll find everything from traditional desert dot paintings and ochres through to contemporary bark paintings, sculptures and prints. There's also a Collectors' Gallery section with high-quality work by established artists.
Emerging · Mid · Established · Blue-chip
Darlinghurst, Sydney
King Street Gallery on William is a Sydney gallery in Darlinghurst that shows work by established and emerging Australian artists. You'll find contemporary painting, sculpture, printmaking, and works on paper, with a focus on landscape and figurative pieces. They run major exhibitions alongside their roster of represented artists.
Toowong, Brisbane
Land Street Gallery is a contemporary exhibition space in Toowong, Brisbane. It shows work by emerging and established artists working across painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking and mixed media. The gallery runs solo and group shows, and operates a working studio program where artists can apply. It's set up as a community-focused venue with regular programming.
Parap, Darwin
You'll find paintings, prints, sculptures, and textiles from both established art centres and up-and-coming artists. The work spans traditional stuff like bark paintings through to screenprints and carved pieces.
Emerging · Mid
Richmond, Melbourne
Lennox St. Gallery sits in Richmond, Melbourne, and shows work by both well-known and up-and-coming artists. They focus on painting, sculpture, and mixed media across different styles - you'll find figurative pieces, abstract work, landscapes, and indigenous art. The gallery takes its exhibitions seriously, with careful selection and support for developing artists. Lennox St. Gallery | Richmond | VIC | 3121.
Newtown, Sydney
{"text":"Lennox Street Studios is an artist-run studio space in Newtown established in 1995. About 40 working artists share the space, making everything from painting and sculpture to ceramics, photography, printmaking, film, and textiles. Artists at all levels work side by side here, from those fresh out of art school to experienced practitioners with prize-winning credentials. The studios run open studio events each year where people can buy work directly from the artists or commission pieces."}.
Paddington, Brisbane
Lethbridge Gallery is a Brisbane outfit that works with a solid lineup of established and emerging artists across different mediums. They put on exhibitions, run art awards, and have an artist residency programme. They also handle a secondary market service, so collectors can buy and sell work through them.
St Kilda, Melbourne
Linden New Art is a contemporary art gallery in St Kilda, VIC 3182 that exhibits work by both emerging and established artists across various mediums. The gallery sits on Bunurong Boon Wurrung country and runs exhibition spaces alongside public programs like artist talks and community workshops. They also provide venue hire and artist residencies.
Emerging · Mid
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Liverpool Street Gallery operates out of Darlinghurst, exhibiting paintings, sculptures, ceramics and mixed media by Australian and international contemporary artists. They run a steady rotation of solo and group shows featuring abstract, figurative and landscape work, along with thematic exhibitions and gift salons.
Richmond, Melbourne
LON Gallery operates as a commercial contemporary art space in Richmond, Melbourne. The gallery works with a mix of emerging and established artists who practise across painting, sculpture, and mixed media. You'll see solo and group exhibitions featuring figurative, landscape, and abstract work, along with still-life and photographic pieces from the artists they represent.
Collingwood, Melbourne
MAGMA Galleries is a commercial art space in Collingwood, Melbourne that shows work by established and emerging artists. They focus on painting, sculpture and mixed media, with a particular emphasis on contemporary and abstract art. Indigenous Australian art is a key part of what they do. As well as their regular exhibitions, they also run an online shop.
Malvern, Melbourne
Malvern Artists' Society is an artist-run cooperative gallery and learning hub in Melbourne's inner east, welcoming both emerging and experienced artists. The venue hosts regular members' exhibitions, offers studio classes in painting, drawing and mixed media, and provides affordable gallery hire and exhibition opportunities to its membership community.
Alphington, Melbourne
Mandel Aboriginal Art Gallery is a Melbourne online retailer that specialises in authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artworks. You'll find a good range of pieces across all budgets, with works starting under $250 through to high-end investment pieces over $10,000. They focus on supporting Indigenous artists and helping preserve their cultural heritage.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Malvern, Melbourne
Manyung Gallery Group runs five contemporary art spaces around Melbourne, with one based in Malvern. They work with a pretty varied range of Australian artists doing painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media stuff. You'll see everything from established names to up-and-coming types. The gallery shows contemporary figurative work, landscapes, abstract pieces, still life and botanical subjects.
Perth, Perth
Marc Pinto Gallery specialises in authentic tribal art and sculptural artefacts from Oceania, Indonesia and Australia. The gallery curates figures, masks, shields, weapons and ceremonial objects from diverse tribes, emphasising cultural preservation and historical authenticity across its carefully sourced inventory.
Darwin City, Darwin
Mbantua Gallery stocks genuine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork. You'll find pieces from Utopia, Arnhem Land, Hermannsburg, North Queensland, and Western Desert artists, with a solid range available online. The gallery works with plenty of Indigenous artists and carries paintings, sculptures, bark works, watercolours, and artefacts. Prices and styles vary, so there's something for different budgets and tastes.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Chippendale, Sydney
Michael Reid Gallery Sydney is a contemporary art gallery with a base in Berlin as well. They work with Australian artists, both established ones and people just starting out. The gallery focuses on painting, photography, sculpture and indigenous works. They keep a stockroom of pieces across different styles and materials.
Emerging · Mid · Established · Blue-chip
West End, Brisbane
Milani Gallery is a commercial Brisbane gallery that focuses on contemporary art from both established and emerging artists. They work with practitioners across textiles, painting, and photography, and take a particular interest in conceptual and culturally engaged practice. The gallery is based in West End and puts on solo and group shows regularly, while also helping artists get into major venues overseas.
Redfern, Sydney
Minerva is a contemporary art gallery in Redfern, NSW 2016 that shows work by emerging and established artists. You'll find painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media pieces rotating through the space pretty regularly. The gallery's keen on new artistic ideas and reckons cultural diversity matters, which shapes what they put on the walls.
Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
{"text":"Mitchell Fine Art is a gallery in Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006, that focuses on contemporary and Indigenous Australian art. It's been running for thirty years and works with a wide range of artists doing painting, sculpture and ceramics.
Mid · Established
Perth, Perth
Moore Contemporary is a gallery in Perth that reps over twenty contemporary artists making work across all sorts of different mediums and styles. You'll find it at Cathedral Square on Hay Street. The gallery handles painting, sculpture, and mixed-media pieces, everything from abstract stuff through to figurative work and landscapes. They focus on supporting both established and emerging Australian artists.
Richmond, Melbourne
Niagara Galleries is a commercial Richmond gallery that represents a mix of contemporary and established Australian and international artists. The space focuses on painting, sculpture, and works on paper, covering everything from abstract and figurative pieces to landscapes. They're regulars at major Australian art fairs and have a strong commitment to showing work by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
Collingwood, Melbourne
Nicholas Thompson Gallery opened in Collingwood back in 2015 and focuses on contemporary Australian art. You'll find work across painting, printmaking, and mixed media from a range of artists.
Armadale, Melbourne
Nightingale Gallery is a contemporary art space in Armadale, Melbourne, working with both established and up-and-coming artists. You'll find painting, printmaking, photography and mixed media on the walls, with regular exhibitions featuring local and international work. They've also got a shop selling limited-edition pieces and original works across a range of price points.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Richmond, Melbourne
Nissarana Galleries runs contemporary art spaces across Noosa Heads, Richmond Melbourne, and Bangalow NSW. Since 2008, they've worked with over eighty Australian and international artists, focusing on painting, sculpture, ceramics, and photography that explores spirituality and cultural identity. The gallery takes artists seriously when their work reflects genuine inner exploration rather than surface-level trends.
Hobart, Hobart
Nolan Gallery & School of Art sits in Hobart's Salamanca Arts Centre and shows work by local Tasmanian artists. You'll see paintings, sculptures, jewellery and ceramics. Some pieces are pretty traditional, landscapes and portraits mostly, while others lean more towards abstract or contemporary art. They run art classes, put on exhibitions, and you can hire the space for events.
Emerging · Mid
Parap, Darwin
The Northern Centre for Contemporary Art sits on Larrakia Country in Darwin and runs independently. They show work from local Territory artists, national names, and international creators. NCCA basically lets people get stuck into all sorts of art, whether that's Indigenous Australian pieces, street work, or conceptual stuff that tackles social, aesthetic and cultural issues you'd actually care about in Northern Australia and elsewhere.
Emerging
Redfern, Sydney
Nussinov Gallery sits in Redfern, NSW, as an artist-run space where Micha Nussinov shows work across painting, digital composites, collages, and sculpture. The work ranges across figurative and landscape subjects through to abstract and contemporary pieces. It's based at 56 Cope Street and functions as both a working studio and exhibition space.
Mid
Woollahra, Sydney
Olsen Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Woollahra that focuses on modern painting, sculpture, ceramics and works on paper. It shows work by both established and up-and-coming Australian artists working across figurative, landscape and abstract styles. The gallery runs two spaces: the main one in Sydney and the Olsen Annexe. It also operates LIMITED Contemporary Editions, an archival print studio.
Emerging · Mid · Established · Blue-chip
Melbourne, Melbourne
Oud Art Gallery is an artist-run contemporary space on Collins Street in Melbourne, VIC 3000. They focus on original paintings and unique drawings made on the spot in places like New York, Paris, London, and Tokyo. A big part of what they do is a daily drawing project that came out of documenting Melbourne's bounce-back after lockdown. The work centres on art, hospitality, and sports.
Melbourne, Melbourne
Outré Gallery has been running in Melbourne for over thirty years, focusing on New Contemporary art. You'll find solo and group exhibitions with work from both Australian and international artists, along with original pieces, limited-edition prints, and stuff they publish through Outré Press.
Emerging · Mid · Established
South Brisbane, Brisbane
PARKER Contemporary is a Brisbane gallery that focuses on contemporary print and paper work. You'll find it in the Fish Lane Arts Precinct. The space represents a mix of established and emerging artists who work across printmaking, drawing, painting, and mixed media. They're keen on hand-crafted pieces and experimental approaches, particularly with works on paper.
Chippendale, Sydney
Peach Black Gallery sits in Chippendale and runs art classes, exhibitions, and cultural events. You can do life drawing, oil and watercolour courses, or get one-on-one tuition. They also hire out the space for private events and rent studio spaces to creatives.
Hobart, Hobart
Penny Contemporary is a gallery in Hobart that works with local, national, and international artists in contemporary art. You'll find both emerging and established artists here, showing work across painting, sculpture, photography, textiles, and mixed media. Their focus leans toward figurative, landscape, and abstract pieces.
Emerging · Mid
Bowden, Adelaide
Praxis Artspace, set up in 2015 in Bowden, Adelaide (SA 5007), is an independent contemporary gallery and artist studio space. It works as both a working studio complex and exhibition venue, with rotating shows featuring different contemporary artists and a stockroom holding artworks in various mediums and styles.
Woollahra, Sydney
Project Gallery is a contemporary gallery in Woollahra showing work by emerging and established local artists. The gallery reps a range of artists working across painting, ceramics, and sculpture. You'll find a lot of figurative work, still-life studies, and landscape painting in the shows. They also do art consulting, and there's an active online store if you want to shop from home.
Emerging · Mid
Ainslie, Canberra
The gallery displays contemporary art in different mediums and styles, and pays real attention to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. You can see exhibitions and buy work there, plus it runs workshops and hosts creative events.
Emerging · Mid
Fitzroy North, Melbourne
Red Gallery is a contemporary art space in Fitzroy North that runs group and solo exhibitions. They work with an open submission model, so artists can pitch their work. The gallery puts on thematic shows like the Urban group exhibitions and an annual Red Salon programme. It's basically run as a community space where artists get a fair go at showing their stuff.
Red Hill, Brisbane
Red Hill Gallery is a Brisbane commercial art gallery that focuses on contemporary Australian paintings, sculpture, glass, ceramics and jewellery. Situated in Red Hill, it works with both established and emerging artists across figurative, landscape and abstract styles. The gallery sells existing pieces and takes on new commissions for collectors.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Albion, Brisbane
Revival Art & Design Gallery operates out of Albion in Brisbane, showing work from Queensland and Australian artists. They put on regular solo and group shows, run an annual prize for emerging artists, and take work to art fairs around Australia and overseas. You'll also find fine craft, industrial design, and ceramics in the space, mixed in with painting and sculpture.
Emerging · Mid
North Sydney, Sydney
Rochfort Gallery is a commercial art space in North Sydney that represents a pretty varied mix of contemporary Australian and international artists. You'll find painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and works on paper, covering everything from abstract and figurative work to landscape and conceptual pieces. The gallery opens by appointment and on weekends, and it gives both established and emerging artists a chance to show work that deals with cultural, environmental, and philosophical stuff.
Paddington, Sydney
Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Paddington, Sydney, representing a diverse roster of established and emerging artists. The gallery works with contemporary painting, sculpture, photography and mixed-media works, covering figurative, abstract and conceptual practices, with a focus on Australian and international artists engaged with contemporary discourse.
Redfern, Sydney
Sabbia Gallery in Redfern works with established and emerging Australian artists, mostly those working in glass, ceramics and fibre. The gallery exhibits contemporary pieces across different mediums, with a particular focus on craft-based work and indigenous Australian artists from a range of cultural backgrounds.
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Scieppan Gallery is a contemporary art space in Darlinghurst that focuses on figurative, narrative, and abstract painting. They work with Australian and international artists, showing oils, acrylics, and mixed media pieces. You'll find a lot of figurative work on the walls, alongside surreal landscapes and abstract stuff.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Prahran, Melbourne
Scott Livesey Galleries operates in Prahran and focuses on contemporary Australian art. The gallery works with painters, sculptors, ceramicists and mixed-media artists. There's a dedicated area for work by Indigenous Australian artists.
The Rocks, Sydney
Shazia Imran Gallery is a commercial art space in The Rocks, NSW 2000, run by award-winning artist Shazia Imran. The gallery stocks contemporary mixed-media paintings, sculptures, and fine-art prints. You'll find everything from abstract works and coastal paintings to figurative pieces and botanical studies, available as originals or reproductions. Shazia also takes on commissions and runs workshops.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Darwin City, Darwin
Sister7 is an Indigenous women's art gallery and ethical gift shop on Larrakia country in Darwin. They stock authentic artworks by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women artists, complete with certificates of authenticity and artist stories. The shop also sells homewares, textiles, jewellery and cultural products from fair-trade and ethical makers.
Fitzroy, Melbourne
Sol Gallery is a contemporary commercial art space in Fitzroy, Melbourne, showing established and emerging artists across painting, photography, ceramics, and mixed media. The gallery actively participates in major international art fairs and represents artists, whilst also operating a secondary project space in Collingwood.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Richmond, Melbourne
Sophie Gannon Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Richmond, Melbourne that works with more than forty established and emerging artists. The gallery shows painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography and design, covering everything from figurative and abstract work through to realism and design-focused pieces.
North Fremantle, Perth
They stock work by solid contemporary Australian artists across painting, sculpture, ceramics, and decorative pieces. The gallery carries figurative and abstract work, along with landscapes, still-life, seascapes, and wildlife paintings from artists working in different styles and mediums.
Mid · Established
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Stanley Street Gallery is located in Darlinghurst, Sydney. It represents a diverse group of contemporary artists working across various mediums. The gallery puts on regular exhibitions and keeps solid ties with the local community. It acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of the land.
Surry Hills, Sydney
Station Gallery works with a mix of established and up-and-coming Australian and international artists making contemporary work. The gallery has locations in Melbourne (since 2011) and Sydney (since 2019), showing paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and mixed media. You'll find abstract, figurative, and conceptual pieces across both spaces.
South Yarra, Melbourne
Station Gallery shows work by a mix of established and up-and-coming Australian and international artists. They work across painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media. The gallery's been running since 2011, with spaces in Melbourne and Sydney. They focus on abstract, figurative and conceptual pieces, mostly from mid-career and emerging artists.
Melbourne, Melbourne
Stephen McLaughlan Gallery is an established gallery in central Melbourne that represents a diverse group of contemporary Australian artists working in painting, sculpture, ceramics, glass and printmaking. The gallery exhibits figurative, abstract, landscape and still-life work, and focuses on supporting professional artists through regular exhibitions and representation.
Subiaco, Perth
SubiARTco was a Perth artist collective that ran galleries in Subiaco from 2017 to 2021. They showed member work across painting, photography, sculpture, glass art and jewellery. The cooperative worked with a range of contemporary styles and still helps shift artwork and take on commissions through direct artist contact. You can see their current pieces at local pubs and cafes around the place.
Fitzroy, Melbourne
Sutton Gallery in Fitzroy, VIC 3065 represents a range of contemporary Australian artists making work in painting, photography, sculpture and works on paper. You'll find everything from abstraction and figuration to landscapes and still-lifes on the walls. The gallery actively supports indigenous and Asia-Pacific artists, putting them front and centre in the work it chooses to show.
Adelaide, Adelaide
T'Arts Collective is a member-run artist co-op based in Gay's Arcade, Adelaide, SA 5000. It represents 34 South Australian artists who work in painting, printmaking, ceramics, glass, sculpture, textiles and craft. The gallery has member artists on site most days, and they focus on selling original artworks and handmade gifts.
Surry Hills, Sydney
TAP Art Gallery in Surry Hills operates as a contemporary art space where emerging and established artists get together. The place runs regular exhibitions, art classes, and artist talks, plus they host fundraising events and community activities around art. You'll see different kinds of work across various mediums and styles, from solo artists to people working together on projects.
Marrickville, Sydney
The Commercial is a contemporary art gallery in Marrickville, Sydney that shows work from both established and up-and-coming Australian artists. You'll find painting, sculpture, printmaking and mixed media on the walls, spanning everything from figurative work through to landscapes and abstracts. The artists exhibited there regularly show up in major institutional exhibitions and international art fairs.
The Rocks, Sydney
The Ken Done Gallery in The Rocks is a single-artist space that shows off Ken Done's bold, colourful paintings and limited edition prints. You'll find original works, fine art prints on quality archival paper, and plenty of licensed stuff like homewares, clothing and accessories that pick up on the artist's bright style.
Adelaide, Adelaide
The Little Machine is a contemporary art gallery in Adelaide's Regent Arcade. It shows work from both up-and-coming and established artists working across different mediums. The space runs rotating exhibitions, puts out publications, and hosts events that engage with what's happening in contemporary art. They also acknowledge the Kaurna People's traditional custodianship of the Adelaide Plains.
Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
The Renshaws is a Brisbane gallery that represents contemporary Australian artists working across painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media. Located in Fortitude Valley, the space features everything from abstract and figurative work to landscapes and photography, with a focus on both seasoned and up-and-coming artists.
Fitzroy, Melbourne
THIS IS NO FANTASY is a contemporary art gallery in Fitzroy, VIC 3065 that works with emerging and established artists doing painting, sculpture, photography and mixed-media. It was co-founded by Dianne Tanzer and Nicola Stein and focuses on abstract and figurative contemporary work.
Melbourne, Melbourne
Tolarno Galleries is a Melbourne gallery that shows work by Australian contemporary artists across painting, sculpture, glass, photography and mixed media. You'll find everything from abstract to figurative work, photography and Indigenous Australian art, with a strong focus on large-scale pieces and stuff that's conceptually solid.
Cottesloe, Perth
Tunbridge Gallery stocks ethically sourced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art from 292 artists working across Australia. You'll find the gallery in Cottesloe, Perth. Their range includes contemporary Aboriginal paintings covering desert scenes, coastal imagery and cultural storytelling. They're pretty focused on treating artists fairly and making sure they get proper recognition for their work.
Emerging · Mid · Established · Blue-chip
Waterloo, Sydney
Utopia Art Sydney works with a number of contemporary Australian artists, both Indigenous painters from Papunya Tula and established Sydney-based practitioners. The gallery focuses on painting and works on paper. You'll find abstract, figurative and landscape work there, but they're particularly interested in Aboriginal desert art and how it talks to modern Australian practice.
East Melbourne, Melbourne
The Victorian Artists Society is a co-operative gallery in East Melbourne running five exhibition spaces that put on over 50 shows each year. Set up back in 1870, it displays work by its members covering painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture in all sorts of styles and subjects. The galleries refresh their exhibitions every couple of weeks with new pieces.
Emerging
Sydney, Sydney
Wentworth Galleries has been running for over 30 years, focusing on contemporary Australian and Aboriginal artists. They've got spaces in both Sydney and Brisbane, stocking paintings, sculptures and various other pieces. Their main areas are landscape work, figurative stuff and indigenous art.
Figurative art shows things you can actually recognise: people, animals, objects, landscapes. The artist might paint them realistically or push them into something weird and expressive, but you can still tell what they are. That's the big difference from abstract art, which just mucks around with shape and colour for their own sake. Figurative work is about the subject itself. A portrait might dig into who someone is, a figure study looks at how a body works, a landscape captures a particular place. The subject's always doing the talking.
Yeah, there are real differences. Galleries work with multiple artists under formal agreements, keep things polished, and push sales and building up their collector base. Artist-run spaces are usually run by the artists themselves, they care more about trying new things, and often show emerging artists or weirder kinds of work. Neither's better than the other, really. Galleries give you professional selection and established names, while artist-run spaces let you discover new stuff and see artists taking risks. Checking out both is worth your time because you'll pick up different angles on figurative art depending on the context. Your choice comes down to what matters more: proven, market-tested artists or something newer and more experimental.
{"text":"What you'll pay depends a lot on the medium, who made it, and where it sits in the market. You can pick up drawings, prints, and work by newer artists for under a grand, which is a decent way to start collecting. If you're after original paintings from artists who've made a name for themselves, expect to fork out anything from a few thousand up to tens of thousands. Work by artists with real international standing or historical importance can run into six figures. Most galleries carry stuff at different price points, so you can get involved in collecting without needing plenty of cash upfront. Prints and other multiples from good artists give you decent bang for your buck. You can grab work by proper established artists this way without shelling out what an original would cost. Starting with prints or smaller pieces is a smart move if you're building up your eye and working out what you actually like as a collector."}.
{"text":"This depends a lot on where you go and what kind of gallery it is. Most galleries in city centres keep standard hours and let you walk in off the street. But it's smart to check before you show up, especially if you're travelling from far away. Galleries in out-of-the-way spots and artist-run spaces often work by appointment only. If you book ahead, the staff can spend time talking to you about the work, answer your questions properly, and sometimes sort out studio visits or one-on-one viewings. If you're after serious art or want to really get to know an artist or gallery, making an appointment means you'll get their full attention instead of fighting through crowds."}.
{"text": "Good figurative art works when it's well made and the artist has real credentials. That usually means they've shown in decent galleries, had institutional support, and generated serious critical interest. But buying art is risky. The market's unpredictable, and there's no guarantee prices will go up. The smartest approach is to buy work you actually like and that speaks to you, while keeping an eye on how the artist's career is tracking and where they sit in the market. Talk to galleries about what the artist's shown and whether institutions have taken them seriously. Get to know gallerists who know both the work and the market itself. Most collectors get their real satisfaction from living with the piece day to day rather than betting on price gains. Buy something you'll be happy to own whether it goes up in value or not."}.
Start checking out galleries in your own city or the nearest major centre. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth all have plenty of galleries worth visiting. Look at different types of spaces, artist-run outfits, and public institutions. Go back to galleries more than once. Your first visit is just getting the lay of the land, which helps you get to know the spaces and the artists. Follow galleries on social media or ask to get on their mailing lists so you know when new shows are on. Catch gallery openings and artist talks when you can. Once you've built up some taste and knowledge, start exploring further afield. Check contemporary art websites and guides for galleries right across the country. Figure out what actually grabs you: portraiture, figurative landscape, Aboriginal figurative traditions, whatever. Let what you genuinely care about drive where you spend your time, rather than trying to cram through all 140 galleries at once.
Figurative art is one of the oldest forms of art around, and for good reason. At its most basic, it shows stuff you can actually recognise: usually people, but also animals, objects, and landscapes that look like something real. Abstract art is different because it's all about colour, shape, and composition doing their own thing. With figurative work, you've got a subject front and centre, though the way the artist treats it can swing wildly from dead accurate to wildly stylised or raw and expressive.
You'll find plenty of variety within figurative art itself. Modern figurative artists might play with exaggeration, distortion, or throw in symbols, but they keep that connection to stuff you can actually see. A figurative painting could be a portrait so detailed it looks photographic, or it could be reduced to a few marks and colours that hint at a face rather than spell it out. Figurative sculpture works the same way. It can sit comfortably in the classical camp or push into distinctly modern takes on the human body or animals. That's why figurative art has stuck around for thousands of years across different cultures. It gives artists and viewers something to hold onto, a visual language everyone recognises, while still leaving endless room for different interpretations.
The line between figurative and abstract matters if you're buying art or spending time in galleries. Non-representational art pulls you in through pure aesthetics, but figurative work operates differently. A portrait makes you think about who's in it, how they're feeling, what they're like as a person. A landscape gets you pondering your own connection to place. That story or emotion built into work showing recognisable things is a big part of why so many collectors and art lovers get drawn to figurative pieces. New collectors especially seem to feel more at ease with imagery they can actually see and make sense of.
Australia has a long and distinctive tradition of figurative art, shaped by the country's unique history, landscape, and cultural diversity. Indigenous artists have used figurative work for tens of thousands of years, often combining it with abstract patterning to depict Dreaming narratives, cultural stories, and spiritual beliefs. This makes it one of the world's oldest continuous artistic practices. European settlement brought colonial portraiture, and later brought new artistic approaches from settlers and migrants. Contemporary Aboriginal figurative artists continue this ancient tradition while responding to modern concerns around identity, land rights, cultural continuity, and artistic innovation.
During the colonial period, European Australian artists started by copying imported styles but gradually developed their own distinctively Australian approaches. Artists became interested in the Australian landscape, its light, Indigenous cultures, and the character of Australian society. By the twentieth century, Australian figurative painters and sculptors had earned international reputations and contributed to modernist movements whilst maintaining their own regional identity. This history means that when collectors and visitors look at Australian galleries, they encounter figurative work influenced by multiple cultural perspectives and artistic traditions. That's a genuine point of difference in the global art market.
Today's Australian galleries display figurative art by Indigenous artists, migrants bringing traditions from Europe, Asia, and Africa, and artists who have developed distinctively Australian voices. This multicultural mix reflects contemporary Australia itself. Collectors come to Australian galleries for the artistic quality, but also because the work speaks to Australian identity, land, culture, and contemporary social issues. Whether buying from established galleries in Sydney, laneway spaces in Melbourne, or emerging regional centres, collectors find that figurative works offer genuine connections to Australian artistic practice and values.
Commercial galleries are the backbone of the figurative art market here. You'll find them throughout Sydney's Newtown precinct and across Melbourne's gallery strip, where they operate by representing artists under contract and holding regular shows to sell work. These galleries handle everything from framing and hanging to promoting their artists' careers, building relationships with collectors who return regularly. Many represent several artists or estates at once, with some galleries doing thematic group shows and others focusing on solo exhibitions that build an artist's reputation and market value.
Artist-run spaces work differently again. There are plenty of them scattered across Australian cities and regional areas, often run by the artists themselves. They prioritise creative freedom over making sales, so you're more likely to see experimental work and artists trying things that don't fit the commercial gallery model yet. Running with lower overheads and fewer restrictions, these spaces can take more risks than commercial galleries. For collectors keen to spot emerging talent or see work that's not yet gallery-ready, these venues are where the action happens.
Museums and public galleries make up the third major type. Most Australian capital cities have institutions holding significant collections of figurative work, and they often run contemporary exhibitions alongside their permanent displays. They provide education, research, and the weight of institutional legitimacy. Aboriginal-focused galleries are another important piece of the puzzle, with dedicated venues across multiple cities showing Indigenous figuration and mixed practices. So depending on what you're after, you've got options: established artists with proven market standing, emerging practitioners experimenting with form, or art presented within broader cultural and historical frameworks.
Figurative art works across pretty much every medium you can think of. Painting's the big one, with oil, acrylic, and watercolour each bringing something different to the table. Oil's great if you want rich colour and plenty of time to work with, which is why so many contemporary figurative painters use it for detailed representational stuff. Acrylic dries quickly so it suits anyone wanting to work representationally or more loosely. Watercolour's tricky but still pulls in figurative artists, especially those doing portraiture and landscape work. Then there's sculpture in bronze, stone, wood, and mixed materials, which lets you experience the subject in three dimensions and actually move around it in a way you can't with painting. Drawing in graphite, charcoal, pastel, and ink is another major area, and serious collectors now treat drawings as finished works rather than just sketches.
Contemporary figurative artists are mixing media and using digital tech alongside the traditional stuff. You'll see artists combining photography with painting or drawing, others throwing in found objects, textiles, or weird materials to make figurative work that breaks the old rules. Because of all this technical variety, prices bounce around a lot depending on the medium, how well-known the artist is, how big the piece is, and where it sits in the market. An original oil painting by someone established can go for serious money, whereas drawings or prints by emerging artists are more achievable for someone getting started. Most Australian galleries stock work at different price points, so browsing figurative art is accessible to everyone.
Prints and limited editions let you get work by known figurative artists without paying what you'd need for an original painting or sculpture. Screenprints, etchings, lithographs, and digital prints all have their own feel and appeal to collectors. Original prints in limited runs hold their value and authenticity while staying cheaper than one-off pieces. Australian galleries usually stock prints alongside originals, and plenty of artists make limited edition prints as standard. If you're new to collecting or watching your budget, starting with prints by serious figurative artists is a smart move to build confidence, figure out what you like, and maybe work your way up to original pieces.
Developing a good eye for figurative art takes time and honest self-reflection. Start by looking at work that genuinely appeals to you rather than chasing what you think you ought to like. Pay attention to how the artist has handled the figure, whether that's through anatomically precise rendering, bold distortion, or paring things back to basics. Think about their use of light and shadow, colour, and how the composition sits on the canvas. With portraits, ask yourself whether the work goes beyond just looking like the subject and actually conveys something about the sitter's character, mood, or inner state. Does it grab you straight away, or do you notice more the longer you spend with it? That sort of careful looking is what separates real art appreciation from just glancing at pictures.
Technical skill alone doesn't guarantee good figurative work. Look for evidence that the artist has thought hard about everything, from what subject they've chosen through to how they've applied the paint. The best figurative work shows the artist making deliberate calls about what matters, what deserves emphasis, and what can be left out. Often these pieces tell you something true about being human, identity, how we feel, or the way we see things. This might be through a portrait that captures something private about a person, through figuration exploring cultural identity, or through formal experiments that push what's possible within the tradition.
When you're buying, take provenance and condition seriously. Talk to the gallery about the artist's exhibition record and whether they've got any institutional backing. Find out about the materials and techniques involved, since an oil painting and an acrylic need completely different care. For anything substantial, get a professional assessment. Make sure you've got clear agreement on framing, delivery, and any warranties. Good Australian galleries have staff who genuinely know the artists and can talk about their development and where they sit in the bigger picture of figurative practice. Getting to know gallery people gives you access to knowledge that matters both when you're making a purchase and as you build your collection over time.
Sydney dominates the market with 41 galleries representing figurative artists, mostly clustered in inner-city areas like Newtown. The range is pretty broad, spanning high-end commercial galleries handling major artists through to scrappier alternative spaces. This mix reflects Sydney's size and its collector base, which supports everything from classical portraiture to more experimental contemporary work. Melbourne sits close behind with 38 galleries and has branded itself as Australia's artistic capital for years now, leaning heavily into drawing-based practice and conceptual takes on figuration. The city's famous laneway culture spills over into galleries housed in old buildings and emerging pockets, creating more intimate gallery experiences than you'd typically find in larger commercial spaces.
Brisbane's art scene is growing, with 17 galleries showing particular strength in Indigenous and multicultural work. The subtropical climate and outdoor lifestyle shape how artists approach figuration here, often bringing landscape and environment into the mix. Perth's 16 galleries service the Western Australian market, which has become surprisingly sophisticated despite its distance from the eastern art hubs. Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and Darwin have 8, 8, 7 and 5 galleries respectively, serving their regions and capitals. These smaller cities often foster tight communities of local artists and collectors, sometimes developing their own approaches rooted in regional identity. Darwin galleries, for example, regularly work with Indigenous artistic traditions and the particular cultural flavour of Australia's tropical north.
If you're collecting or just interested in exploring, this spread across the country is worth taking seriously. A Sydney collector might stumble across excellent work in regional galleries that barely registers nationally. Equally, major shows in capital cities attract significant figurative artists from around Australia and overseas. Serious collectors tend to keep tabs on gallery programs across several cities, showing up for major exhibitions and staying in touch with galleries handling artists they care about. Having galleries scattered across the country means figurative art functions as a genuine national conversation, with each region bringing its own character into the broader picture.
To get the most out of a gallery visit, you'll need to put in a bit of prep work. Serious visitors are usually welcome, and many galleries will set up a private viewing for you. This beats popping in casually because staff can spend time talking through the work, answer proper questions about the artists, and might even arrange a studio visit if you want to meet the maker. When you're there, go with an open mind rather than fixed ideas about what you're looking for. Give yourself time to really look at the work. With good figurative art, the real payoff comes from sitting with it for a while, not just glancing over.
Getting to know the gallerists and staff pays dividends over time. These folks know their stuff. They track what artists are doing, how their practice is evolving, what's moving in the market, and where the interesting emerging work is. They'll keep an eye out for pieces that fit your taste and ring you about shows you should know about. Many keep mailing lists and let regular collectors see new work before it goes public. They can introduce you to artists, talk through pricing and how payment might work, and give you decent advice on building a collection. If you're starting out, be straight about what you're after and what you've got to spend. As your collection grows, you become a valuable client, which can mean better prices or first dibs on the stuff people really want.
When you're asking about a piece, cover both the practical side and the art. Find out who represents the artist, what shows they've been in, and if they've had any institutional backing. Know what you're actually buying. Is it an original or a print in a limited run? What's the condition like? What's it made from and does that affect how you look after it? What are the costs, how does it get to you, and what promises come with it? Don't be shy about haggling, especially on big purchases or if you're going to be a repeat customer. Most Australian galleries work on thinner margins than galleries overseas and respect collectors who take it seriously. Whether you're visiting in person or emailing questions, if you keep things professional and thoughtful, you'll build the kind of solid relationships that make collecting rewarding.
