Culture Watch: Queensland Art Exhibitions to Catch in 2026

Queensland’s art scene continues to go from strength to strength. From touring exhibitions to works designed exclusively for local audiences, these are the shows to see for the first quarter of the year.

Konstantina: Mudang Butbut, One Space

South Brisbane’s One Space gallery is ringing in the year with Mudang Butbut by Konstantina (Kate Constantine), an exhibition exploring trees as metaphors for the living heart through acrylic paintings on linen. Konstantina is a Gadigal woman of the Eora Nation. Her work acts as repositories of memory, connection and resilience, as she invites viewers to consider the invisible threads that bind ancestry, land and the human heart. Konstantina’s works are part of collections in galleries across the globe, including Sydney’s Art Leven, Melbourne’s Mitchelton Gallery Of Aboriginal Art, London’s JGM Gallery and the Galerie Arts d’Australie in Paris.

Until January 24, 2026. Free

Under a Modern Sun, QAGOMA

Under a Modern Sun highlights the work of Queensland artists in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. The exhibit focuses on the works of artists such as William Bustard, Kenneth Macqueen and Joe Rootsey, and explores their connections to interstate luminaries like Sidney Nolan and Max Dupain. There’s a specific focus on female artists such as Vida Lahey and Daphne Mayo. The major exhibition puts the beauty of Queensland on display through skilfully crafted tableaux.

Until January 25, 2026. Free

Ken Done: No Rules, HOTA

Ken Done is the youngest octogenarian in the game. For decades, his vibrant, rule breaking work are exuberant celebrations of colour and form. The aptly named Ken Done: No Rules includes pieces from the past 45 years, largely pulled from Done’s personal collection. The pieces capture everything from the grandeur of Aussie landscapes to the quiet comfort of the artist’s home and garden. Also in the exhibition is a series of outfits from local designers Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales of Romance was born, who collaborated with done in 2023 for their “Done Zone” collection. 

Until Feb 15, 2026

Nicole Slater: Rose Gold, HOTA

Australian artist Nicole Slater hosts a solo exhibition, showcasing a series of large-scale equestrian portraits. Both a professional thoroughbred breeder and self-taught painter, Slater reflects on her deep connection to horses through her work. Alongside her husband Billy, Slater cares for rescue horses and other wildlife in need at their rural Victorian property. A sharp understanding of equine anatomy informs a remarkable physical accuracy in each of Slater’s portraits – the fading tones of sunset also bring inspiration as she captures warmth and light in each work

Until March 8, 2026. Free

Lost in Palm Springs, Ipswich Art Gallery

The mid-century modern architecture of Palm Springs, California is the subject of Australian writer and conceptual artist Dr Greer Honeywill’s national touring exhibition. It brings together multidisciplinary works from 14 internationally recognised artists, photographers and thinkers, including Kate Ballis, Tom Blachford, Anna Carey, Sam Cranstoun, Paul Davies, Rosi Griffin, Vicki Stravrou, Robyn Sweaney and Gosia Wlodarczak. Iconic cacti and desert landscapes also feature heavily throughout the pieces.

Until March 8, 2026. Free

Christopher Bentley – Machine, Man, Ipswich Art Gallery

Ipswich-based digital artist Christopher Bentley blends obsolete media, interactive digital works and sculptural forms to deliver this technology-driven exhibition. The artist invites his audience to step into the body of a cyborg – part flesh and part machine – and through this experience, he interrogates our shifting relationship to memory, ownership and legacy.

Until March 15, 2026. Free

A Bigger View, HOTA

Explore a selection of monumental landscape works from the National Gallery of Australia in this large-scale exhibition. Take in David Hockney’s A Bigger Grand Canyon and Imants Tillers’s Mount Analogue, alongside pieces by other revered figures such as Bridget Riley and Australians Sally Gabori and William Robinson. This Gold Coast show presents diverse approaches to landscape painting, offering a fresh perspective on the cornerstone genre that has shaped Australian art history.

Until June 21, 2026. Ticketed

Olafur Eliasson: Presence, QAGOMA

Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson is known for his immersive installations that draw on elements of water, light and air temperature to transport viewers to a new realm. This Brisbane-exclusive exhibition delivers a multi-sensory journey that celebrates his three‑decade career. Visit to see, feel, hear and touch two much-loved QAGOMA works, including Riverbed – wear comfortable shoes to explore the rocky landscape and running water – and The Cubic Structural Evolution Project, an all-white Lego city perpetually built and rebuilt by visitors.

Until July 12, 2026. $14–33

Stories You Wear: Magpie Goose, Museum of Brisbane

Aboriginal-owned and -led fashion and social enterprise Magpie Goose has teamed up with the Museum of Brisbane to celebrate its ongoing collaborations with First Nations artists and designers. Directed by co-owners Amanda Hayman (Wakka Wakka and Kalkadoon) and Troy Casey (Kamilaroi), this exhibition sees clothing used as a canvas for storytelling – and a vehicle for conversations. There’s a particular focus on works from South East Queensland communities, Jinibara and Quandamooka, including senior artists Sonja Carmichael and Belinda Close. Visit and explore the creativity, innovation and cultural expression that goes into each piece of the Magpie Goose collection.

Until October 5, 2026. Free