Viewing art exhibitions online is great. For one, you don’t have any short-sighted people blocking the view!
So, what are you doing right now? Nothing? Perfect! Because we’ve got something fun for you. We’ve found the six best online art exhibitions around Australia that you could view right now. Yes, right now! On your phone, tablet, desktop, laptop, or any other magical internet-viewing device you are currently using.
From full virtual tours of Australia’s greatest art galleries to online-only art exhibitions via some of Australia’s lesser-known and equally amazing display houses, this collection can drag you out of your boredom and into that fantastical realm known as your imagination. So, come on! Let’s give you something to do with our list of the six best Australian virtual art exhibitions you can view online now!
Art exhibition PAINTING MEMORY at Newcastle Art Gallery. Image courtesy of Digi
Newcastle Art Gallery
Step into the virtual world of the Newcastle Art Gallery through a selection of their exhibition rooms. Current exhibits include Homeward Bound, an artistic biography of the life of Tom Gleghorn; Painting Memory, which uncovers the uniqueness of various artists, including Australian artist Brett Whiteley; and Everything Changes, where artist Tim Maguire explores time and space.
Art exhibition Haring | Basquiat Crossing Lines at NGV. Image: Supplied
National Gallery of Victoria
The NGV is a pioneer in virtual tours, offering a long selection of current and past exhibitions for you to tour right now. Tour through contemporary art, 17th century European, Indigenous collections, and the unique artists of our time. The latest is the Triennial 2020 collection, a contemporary collection fusing design and architecture into a dialogue that provokes an arresting view of the world in this current time.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander galleries, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Image Supplied
National Gallery of Australia
There are two current virtual art tours at the National Gallery of Australia: one views the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Gallery, the largest collection in Australia; and the other is Xu Zhen: Eternity vs Evolution, which explores Chinese culture through a contemporary lens. But more than this, the NGA also showcases deeper understandings behind their art through video documentaries, art talks and walkthroughs.
Installation view of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2021. Photographed by Felicity Jenkins, AGNSW
Art Gallery of New South Wales
The Art Gallery of New South Wales has recently jumped onto the bandwagon of virtual art exhibitions, launching an online tour of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes for 2021. Aptly titled Archie At Home – since many of us are currently in lockdown – this exhibition showcases the most captivating paintings of the past year. From personal plunges into unreliable memories to uncovering new perspectives on current issues, Archie At Home will get you feeling things without ever leaving your seat.
Gippsland Art Gallery. Image: Supplied
Gippsland Art Gallery
Gippsland Art Gallery hosts a comprehensive and diverse collection of art, with a few current exhibitions going on inside. However, one of their current exhibitions is online-only. It’s called Alone, Together, and it explores the things we do alone that form part of society’s collective identity. Even something as simple as shaving your own face. Indeed, it is not as virtual as the previous art exhibitions, but it is just as fascinating.
Edwina Corlette Art Gallery. Image: Supplied
Edwina Corlette Art Gallery
Like the Gippsland Art Gallery, Edwina Corlette also showcases a few virtual, online-only exhibitions. But these paintings are not just for viewing; you can also buy them. In a world that’s transforming to become more digitised, it’s no surprise that artists are going online to showcase their work. The latest online exhibition is Paul Ryan’s Mountain/Wave Paintings, sharing a personal observation of the relationship between crashing waves and rigid mountainscapes.
Looking for other ways to stay creative at home? Here’s Australia’s 10 Best Delivered Hobby Subscription Boxes for Adults. Or, why not add a splash of paint to your face thanks to Vistaprint who’s partnered with international artists to design reusable masks.