Mitch Cairns Survey Spans Two Decades at IMA and NAS Gallery
In 2026, a major exhibition showcasing the work of Sydney artist Mitch Cairns will take place across two locations, organized in collaboration with the Institute of Modern Art (IMA) in Queensland. This retrospective honors Cairns' two-decade artistic journey, highlighting his concrete poetry, sculptures, and paper works. It reflects his transformation from early student pieces to his current explorations of self-reflection, the poetry and mundanity of everyday existence, language, and text. Notably, Cairns received the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship in 2012 and won the Archibald Prize in 2017 for his portrait of Agatha Gothe-Snape. The exhibition will be held at NAS Gallery in Sydney from 1 May to 11 July 2026, followed by IMA from 10 October to 20 December 2026.
Key facts
- Mitch Cairns is a Sydney-based artist.
- The survey is a joint project with the Institute of Modern Art, Queensland.
- It marks the most comprehensive survey of Cairns to date.
- The exhibition covers a twenty-year artistic career.
- Works include concrete poetry, sculpture, and works on paper.
- Cairns was awarded the 2012 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship.
- Cairns won the 2017 Archibald Prize.
- The Archibald-winning portrait depicts Agatha Gothe-Snape.
- The survey runs at NAS Gallery, Sydney from 1 May to 11 July 2026.
- The survey runs at Institute of Modern Art, Queensland from 10 October to 20 December 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Mitch Cairns
- Agatha Gothe-Snape
Institutions
- Institute of Modern Art, Queensland
- NAS Gallery
- Monash University Collection
Locations
- Sydney
- Queensland
- Melbourne
- Australia