Art Wank

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.
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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 Zealand
Fox/Jensen Gallery, Sydney, Australia
Galeria Xavier Fiol, Palma & Madrid, Spain
STATION Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
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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
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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.

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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.

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