News

Congratulations to Bundit Puangthong, whose 12 metre painting commission has been unveiled at the State Library of Victoria for their exhibition 'Creative Acts' as part of Melbourne's 'Now or Never' festival.

Bundit's painting is comprised of an eight metre canvas flanked by a two metre canvas on either side, and is filled with the artists intricate motifs and patterning.

'Creative Acts' explores the stories and inspiration behind artists, writers and performers throughout their creative process. The exhibition presents rituals, connections and memories that shape creative lives, with new commissions from five Victorian artists: Peter Carey, Dr Chandrabhanu OAM, Dr Deanne Gilson, Barry William Hale and Bundit Puangthong. 'Now or Never' Festival is a curated series of artistic, cultural, and technological events in Melbourne.

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Visitors observing Bundit Puangthong's painting at the State Library of Victoria, courtesy State Library of Victoria.

Vipoo Srivilasa's upcoming exhibition at Edwina Corlette 'Iconic Figures: Devas, Deities and Divas' has been featured in an article for Colossal titled 'Terracotta and Gold Figures by Vipoo Srivilasa Conjure Joy and the Divine' by Grace Ebert. Colossal is an online art magazine that celebrates contemporary art and visual culture across a wide range of creative disciplines.

"Joy and the possibilities of creative communion ground the practice of Vipoo Srivilasa (previously). The artist, who lives and works between Australia and Thailand, is known for his ceramic sculptures that take an ebullient approach to life.

Standing between one and two feet tall, Srivilasa’s figures are clad in floral baubles, mandala-like motifs, and gold details, often with their fingers shaped like a V. The lively characters invoke both the mundane and the divine as they portray aspects of the spiritual world while firmly rooted on the earth."

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About Colossal magazine, courtesy Colossal webpage.

Congratulations to Belem Lett whose work 'Lift Yourself Up' is a finalist in the Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award.

With awards totalling $26,000 the biennial Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award showcases outstanding art created with, on or about paper. Awards include the Major award, Young and Early Career Artist Award, Friends of Hazelhurst Local Artist Award, People's Choice Award, and the Preparators Residency Award.

Belem Lett previously won the Young and Early Career Artist award in 2019.

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Belem Lett
Lift Yourself Up 2024
oil, gesso on stonehenge paper 245gsm
76 x 56cm

Congratulations to Belem Lett who has been announced as a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize with his painting 'Parcel'.

As an acquisitive art award for painting, the winning artworks collected form a splendid collection of modern and contemporary Australian art, reflecting all the developments in Australian art practice since 1947. Artists who have won the Mosman Art Prize include Margaret Olley, Guy Warren, Grace Cossington Smith, Weaver Hawkins, Nancy Borlase, Lloyd Rees, Elisabeth Cummings, Adam Cullen, Michael Zavros, Natasha Walsh and Salote Tawale.

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Belem Lett
Parcel 2025
oil, gesso, marble dust, pigment on aluminium composite panel
150 x 122cm

Congratulations to Joanna Chew, who has won the 2023 Glover Prize for her painting Tender.

Chew, a Tasmanian-based artist, wins $75,000 for the painting, which depicts a three-legged dog standing in front of a tent and caravan, a commentary on the accessibility of the housing market.

In her artist’s statement, Chew describes how “Images of tents and caravans were frequently in the news at the beginning of 2018 when my daughter and I moved back to Hobart. We lived with my parents for a year, unable to find a rental we could afford. It was easy to see why more and more people were forced into solutions like setting up a temporary home at the Showgrounds – an option that will cease within the coming months.”

The 2023 Prize is judged by Suzanne Cotter, director of Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Tasmanian artist Lucienne Rickard, and director of Niagara Gallery, William Nuttall.

Suzanne Cotter says of the winning piece, “It is a complex painting that addresses contemporary life and themes of home and belonging at the same time as it speaks to a history of painting and the figure of John Glover himself, whose landscapes can be understood as a search for self-recognition in a world that was not his own.”

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Tender, oil on linen, 183 x 127cm

Vipoo Srivilasa's work Beneath the Love has been acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria, using funds donated by the Rob Gould Foundation.

Vipoo says of the work:

"Beneath the Tree of Love is my way of honoring love, commitment, and companionship. Inspired by the ceramic sculpture "The Music Lesson" from the Chelsea Porcelain Factory in the NGV collection, I wanted to blend old styles with a modern twist. This piece shows the close bond between two people and their pet, symbolizing unity and harmony in a loving relationship. It also shows a few pairs of animals who often visit my backyard. I hope the piece brings you the feelings of warmth and happiness. A celebration of love."

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Beneath the Tree of Love 2024
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Rob Gould Foundation
Image courtesy the artist

Congratulations to Bridie Gillman whose work 'Pink room, pink womb' has been selected as a finalist in the 2025 Ramsay Art Prize at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

The Ramsay Art Prize supports contemporary Australian artists under 40 to make their best work in any medium and of any scale. Supported in perpetuity by the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation, finalist works are selected by a panel of judges and shown at the Art Gallery of South Australia in a major exhibition opening 31 May, 2025.

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Bridie Gillman
Pink room, pink womb 2024
oil on canvas, timber, tufted wool, audio soundscape
202 x 190 x 162cm

Congratulations to Belem Lett who has been selected for the 2025 Omni Art Prize exhibition. This art prize and exhibition celebrate contemporary artists, promoting and selling their works. In 2022 Belem Lett won the Omnia Major Prize for Most Outstanding Work.

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Building Blocks 2024
oil, gesso, marble dust on aluminium composite panel
150 x 122cm

Bundit Puangthong has been working on multiple murals for Soi38's new location. Soi38 brings authentic Thai food to Melbourne, with distinct street food style architecture and seating. The restaurant thrived and became an institution. And its fiery salads, raw seafood and moo kata (Thai barbeque) helped kick off a new wave of Thai dining in Melbourne.

The mural has Bundit's distinct mix of bold street art and traditional Thai drawing on a monumental scale, featuring imagery of the monkey god 'Hanuman'.

"The walls are covered in swirling, star-studded murals by Melbourne-based Thai artist Bundit Puangthong, and a stainless steel bar anchors the room, allowing for an expanded drinks menu that includes Thai beers on tap, natural wines by the bottle, and a signature cocktail menu that features gin infused in-house with Thai ingredients like lemongrass, chilli and makrut lime."

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Installation view, Bundit's Soi38 mural, courtesy Chege Mbuthi

We are delighted to share that Belem Lett’s paintings are currently on display in ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’ at Ngununggula, alongside works by Rebecca Bauman, Christopher Langton, and Brendan Van Hek.

Using reflective surfaces, sources of light, and sculptural forms, the four artists in ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’ share an interest in the properties of colour, and the emotive and visceral reactions that it can evoke. Belem Lett’s joyful paintings have been beautifully curated against mirrored walls, allowing the works to converse across opposite sides of the room.

‘The Pursuit of Happiness’ is current at Ngununggula until 30 March.

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Installation view ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’, Ngununggula, 2025, image courtesy Mim Sterling