Art Wank

David Fairbairn is a Zambian-born Australian artist renowned for his powerful and psychologically charged portraits. Born in 1949, he studied at the West Surrey College of Art and Design and the Royal Academy Schools in London before moving to Australia in the early 1980s. Based in Wedderburn, southwest of Sydney, Fairbairn has established himself as one of Australia's most respected contemporary draughtsmen and portrait artists. Working across drawing, painting, printmaking and mixed media, Fairbairn is best known for his monumental portrait heads that explore memory, identity and human presence. His distinctive mark-making combines delicacy and intensity, creating works that are both intimate and commanding. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Fairbairn has received numerous major awards, including the Dobell Prize for Drawing in 1999 and the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize in 2002. He has been a frequent finalist in prestigious awards including the Archibald Prize and his work is held in significant public collections such as the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. A respected educator as well as a practising artist, Fairbairn taught for many years at the National Art School in Sydney, influencing generations of emerging artists through his commitment to drawing as a vital contemporary practice.We talk about his new monograph, Paper Works, exploring the ideas, decisions and creative process behind its development. David reflects on a lifelong dedication to drawing, discussing what success means to him and how the deep interrogation of a subject continues to shape his artistic practice.David's new monograph, Paperworks, is out now through Art Ink. The book launch will be at Nanda Hobbs, Sydney, at 2pm Saturday 14th Novmeber. David's show, Proof of Identity, opens at Nanda Hobbs gallery in Sydney on 5th November 2026 and runs until 21st November 2026.

In this episode, Gary and Fiona were joined by Shanti Shea An, a Sydney-based artist whose painting practice explores the complex relationship between images, language, memory, and meaning. Drawing from an eclectic range of sources, including personal photographs, literature, art history, and mass media, Shanti creates layered works that invite viewers to slow down and consider how images are read, translated, and understood. Her paintings embrace ambiguity, bringing together disparate visual languages to reveal the instability and fluidity of interpretation. Our conversation delves into the ideas that underpin Shanti’s practice, from her fascination with repetition, doubling, and translation to the influence of philosophy and the image of the book within contemporary painting. We discuss how research and studio practice intersect in her work, the role of visual references in shaping a painting, and how uncertainty can become a productive creative tool. Shanti also reflects on exhibiting in Australia and internationally, the evolution of her visual language, and the ongoing possibilities she finds within the medium of painting. Thoughtful, generous, and deeply reflective, she offers a compelling insight into a practice that balances intellectual rigour with intuition and visual experimentation.Shanti Shea An (b. 1993) holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Painting) from the ANU School of Art & Design and completed a practice-led PhD examining concepts of doubling, legibility, and translation within painting. She has exhibited throughout Australia and internationally and is represented by Velvet Lobster Gallery in New South Wales.

This week Gary talks to acclaimed Australian artist Tomislav Nikolic for a fascinating conversation about colour, perception, identity and the transformative power of art.Known for his luminous abstract paintings, Tomislav shares the stories behind his practice, the influence of his Croatian heritage, and how he creates works that invite viewers into a deeply sensory experience.We also discuss his current exhibition through a vale of Egregores and his ongoing relationship with Fox Jensen, one of Australia's leading contemporary galleries.Tomislav Nikolic lives and works in Melbourne. His work is held in major public collections including the National Gallery of Victoria, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. He is represented by Fox Jensen in Sydney and Auckland, STATION in Melbourne, and Galeria Xavier Fiol in Spain. Fox/Jensen/McCrory Gallery, Auckland, New ZealandFox/Jensen Gallery, Sydney, AustraliaGaleria Xavier Fiol, Palma & Madrid, SpainSTATION Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

In this episode, we sit down with Loribelle Spirovski, one of Australia's most distinctive contemporary painters. Born in Manila and raised between cultures, Spirovski's work explores identity, migration, memory and the psychological complexities of human experience through a powerful blend of portraiture, surrealism and abstraction.Loribelle Spirovski is a Filipino-Australian visual artist based in Sydney. Born in Manila in 1990, she moved to Australia in 1999 and graduated from Sydney's College of Fine Arts in 2012. Her work draws on her experience of migration, mixed European-Asian heritage, and the contrasts between her Philippine and Australian upbringing.Known primarily for her expressive portraiture, Spirovski's paintings often combine elements of realism, abstraction and surrealism, creating psychologically charged images that explore identity, memory and human vulnerability. Her work has been exhibited throughout Australia, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, and is held in public and private collections internationally.Spirovski has been a finalist in prestigious awards including the Archibald Prize, Portia Geach Memorial Award, Blake Prize and The Lester Prize, and has received recognition for her innovative contribution to contemporary Australian painting.She is represented by Nanda Hobbs

Juno Gemes is a Hungarian-born Australian photographer, publisher, and social justice activist. Her photographs are held in major Australian collections, including the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery of Australia. Her work has played a significant role in documenting First Nations cultural strength, political activism, and contemporary Australian history. In this episode of Art Wank, we speak with acclaimed Australian photographer and activist Juno Gemes, whose work has documented the lives, culture, and political struggles of First Nations people for more than five decades. Born in Budapest and arriving in Australia as a child, Gemes began her creative life in theatre before turning to photography in the 1970s. Her images have become an invaluable visual record of key moments in Australia's history, including the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, land rights campaigns, the handback of Uluru, and the National Apology to the Stolen Generations. Known as a "quiet activist," Gemes discusses the role of photography as witness, collaboration, and social change. We explore her time with Sydney's legendary Yellow House artist collective, her approach to building trust with communities, and why visibility and representation have remained central to her practice. The conversation also touches on a life spent moving between photography, publishing, theatre, and activism, and reflects on the responsibilities artists have when documenting people, place, and history.

Paul Connor is an Australian painter whose practice centres on landscape, observation and environmental engagement. Originally trained in architecture, he later completed a Master of Fine Art at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales, graduating with first-class honours. Connor has exhibited for more than three decades and is represented in collections throughout Australia and internationally. Known for his expressive interpretations of place, he continues to build upon the rich tradition of Australian landscape painting while addressing contemporary concerns about the environment and cultural connection to country. In this episode, we explore the work and career of Australian artist Paul Connor, a painter whose practice is deeply rooted in the tradition of landscape painting while engaging with contemporary ideas about memory, place and environmental change. Drawing inspiration from direct observation, Connor's work captures both the physical reality and emotional resonance of the Australian landscape. His paintings often evolve from plein air studies, transforming observed scenes into layered compositions that reflect the way places are remembered and reimagined.Connor's background is unusual in that he initially studied architecture before completing a Master of Fine Art at the University of New South Wales. This combination of architectural thinking and painterly observation has influenced his approach to space, structure and composition. Throughout his career he has exhibited widely, with works held in public and private collections across Australia, Hong Kong and England, and displayed at the Australian Embassy in Beijing. The discussion also looks at Connor's significant contribution to Australian art through his role as founding director of the NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize. The prize helped revive interest in outdoor painting and encouraged artists to engage directly with the landscape. Alongside his artistic practice, Connor has demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental conservation, serving as a trustee of both The Australian Museum and the Lizard Island Reef Research Station. We examine the evolution of his work from industrial and urban subjects to dramatic coastal environments, remote landscapes and ecological themes. Connor's paintings invite viewers to slow down and reconsider familiar places, revealing the complexity, beauty and fragility of the natural world. His achievements include being a finalist in major Australian art prizes such as the Glover Prize, Mosman Art Prize and Calleen Art Award, and winning the Pro Hart Outback Art Prize in 2024. Paul is represented by Defiance Gallery.

Kirtika Kain is an Australian artist of Dalit heritage whose work explores identity, culture, migration, memory and belonging. Through her art and conversations, she brings personal and collective stories into the spotlight, creating space for voices and experiences that are often overlooked.Her work reflects the complexities of being Dalit, Australian and part of a diverse global community, while celebrating resilience, creativity and the power of storytelling.Kirtika Kain was born in New Delhi, India and now works on Darug Country, Sydney. Considerations of caste and identity underpin her materially driven practice, which seeks to reimagine personal and collective narratives. Kain’s work has been exhibited widely, both locally and internationally, with notable exhibitions including Adelaide Biennale, 2026; Kochi-Muziris Biennale, 2025; the 24th Biennale of Sydney, 2024; and the 13th Bamako Encounters at the African Biennale of Photography, Mali, 2022.Kirtika is represented by Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery in Sydney

Gary Deirmendjian is a Sydney-based contemporary artist whose multidisciplinary practice encompasses sculpture, installation, photography, video, and site-specific intervention. Working predominantly in public and shared spaces, he is recognised for creating thought-provoking works that challenge audiences through scale, immersion, and unexpected encounters. His projects often explore the social, political, and environmental conditions that shape everyday life, encouraging viewers to re-examine familiar surroundings with fresh eyes.Deirmendjian has exhibited extensively throughout Australia and internationally, receiving numerous commissions for public artworks, temporary installations, and moving-image projects. Career highlights include presence (2017), a major moving-image commission for Sydney's Wynyard Station, and pulse (2020), commissioned for Federation Square in Melbourne. He was awarded the British School at Rome Residency in 2017 and is the author of the monograph A Prevailing Sense of Disquiet as well as Common Ground, a collection of observations and images drawn from his long-running social media art practice. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the National Art School, where he has taught since 2012.This week on Art Wank, we sit down with acclaimed Sydney artist Gary Deirmendjian, whose expansive practice spans sculpture, installation, photography, video, and public intervention. Known for transforming ordinary moments into extraordinary encounters, Gary has built a career around paying close attention to the world around him and inviting others to do the same. His projects challenge audiences to slow down, look again, and find meaning in the overlooked details of everyday life.In this episode, Gary discusses his relationship with the urban environment, sharing how the streets, public spaces, and chance observations that make up daily life continue to inspire his work. We explore the idea of curiosity as an artistic tool and the ways in which public art can interrupt routine experiences, creating moments of reflection, wonder, humour, and sometimes discomfort.Throughout the discussion, Gary reflects on the importance of observation, experimentation, and remaining responsive to the complexities of contemporary life. Thoughtful, insightful, and deeply engaged with the world around him, he offers a compelling perspective on what it means to be an artist working within public space today.Gary is now represented by LNL Gallery in Sydney.