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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

"10 of the hottest Australian artists to have on your radar"

Written by Yeong Sassall, January 2025

"Dan's work captures the beauty and mystique of the Australian bush, blending figuration and abstraction through layered marks and tones that mimic the natural movement around him. His attention to light and shadow is personally my favourite part of his work.”

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Dan Kyle

Devils Creek Track 2024

oil and mixed media on canvas

85.5 x 127.5 cm

Bundit Puangthong has been teaching crowds of visitors this week in the National Gallery of Victoria's 'Drop By Drawing' sessions. Occurring every Saturday during their summer program, the drawing sessions encourage members of the public to learn new tips, tricks, and drawing techniques from renowned artists, taking inspiration from the Gallery's collection.

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Drop By Drawing session at NGV, 2025, courtesy Michael Pham

Congratulations to Pia Murphy who has been awarded a 2025 Visual Arts Fellowship to begin a residency in Montauk, New York. The fellowship was awarded through the Edward F. Albee Foundation and recognises the great talent of a range of artists bi-annually. The foundation aims to provide opportunities to a range of artists through a residency at ‘The Barn’, made possible through the abundant proceeds from the play ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’, memorialising Edward F Albee’s contribution to the arts.

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Pia Murphy in her studio, courtesy Rhys Lee

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Eliza Gosse is exhibiting in Seoul this month, alongside three other international artists in an exhibition titled 'Naive Realism'. The show reinterprets still life painting through architectural scenes from the everyday. The four artists aim to remove meaning from historical objects in order to provoke personal memories and reflections from the viewer.

Eliza Gosse's contribution is two acrylic paintings on canvas, and two gouache paintings on paper, each titled in response to moments of solitude in her home.

The exhibition is open 27 December, 2024 until 2 February, 2025.

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Eliza Gosse

'Kumquats in the Courtyard' 2024

acrylic on canvas

137 x 112 cm

Image Courtesy the artist and Art Space Howha

In a new book dedicated to the creative environments of Sunshine Coast Artists, Stefan Dunlop has been featured. The book includes a stunning collection of photographs from each artists studios, taken by Christine Hall, as well as audio from the artists. Stefan Dunlop's bright, airy workspace as seen in Hall's photographs is in harmony with his bold, colourful, and confident canvases.

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1/ Cover of 'The Studio Project', courtesy Christine Hall

2/ Stefan Dunlop in his studio, courtesy Christine Hall

Congratulations to Vipoo Srivilasa for his exhibition ‘re/JOY’, which is currently at the Australian Design Centre and touring across five states over the next three years. These statues, standing 1.5 metres tall, centre a collection of broken ceramic pieces that were personally significant to a range of families and their experiences of migration. Fragments of teapots, tiles, and bowls from across the world are included in this reimagining of strength, community, and healing. The creation of these figures was inspired by a previous project of Srivilasa’s (of the same name - re/JOY) in Warrnambool, repairing people's broken ceramics that were too sentimental to be thrown away. Srivilasa continuously brings new life and joy to old pottery.

The exhibition is currently on at the Australian Design Centre, Sydney until 19 February 2025. The exhibition will tour Australia from 2025 to 2027.

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Congratulations to Ari Athans whose work ‘A ripple and a rock’, made in collaboration with Urban Art Projects is now installed at Wentworth Point in Sydney.

This work is inspired by sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and shale which make up the ripple valley of Sydney Harbour.

Seeking to re-invoke the soft and natural elements of the area, ‘A ripple and a rock’ signals a place and a point of arrival along the urban coastline. The forms appear to have tumbled together and washed ashore, their shape framing the bay and supporting view lines across the water.

- Ari Athans


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Ari Athans

A ripple and a rock 2024

sandstone, cast aluminium, fabricated steel

dimensions variable

The Desert Mob exhibition by Desart showcases works from 35 art centres across Mparntwe/Alice Springs. Among the artworks, were a series of ink paintings and soft sculptures by Yarrenyty Arletere Artists.

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