This major exhibition surveys the recent work of central Victorian artist Rob McHaffie.

From super cool hipsters to art world aficionados, street artists, mums and dads, commuters, dog walkers and lackadaisical youth, McHaffie’s keen observations of his everyday surroundings reveal the idiosyncrasies and absurdities of contemporary Australian urban life with colour, whimsy and humour in equal measure.

This ambitious exhibition brings together recent and new paintings, collages, works on paper, and ceramic sculptures in a vibrant showcase of McHaffie’s buoyant and broad-ranging creative vision. In a drawing-led practice, McHaffie applies collage techniques to portraiture and narrative painting to reassemble and re-picture people, settings and moments, both real and imagined. Through pop culture references to musings on domesticity and human relationships, McHaffie’s work reveals an enjoyment of and amusement at life and the performativity of our public and private selves.

Bendigo Art Gallery supporting local artists

Artist bio

Rob McHaffie is a contemporary Australian artist born in Melbourne in 1978 and lives and works in Castlemaine, Central Victoria. Educated at the Victorian College of the Arts, where he completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours), McHaffie’s works are held in major public and private collections, including the National Gallery of Victoria, Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. He has exhibited widely in Australia and New Zealand for over 20 years

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Kids label

The dog on this label means it’s especially for kids! Look out for these in the exhibition. Keep an eye out for dogs and other animals in this exhibition! 

Gallery map

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