John Nixon: Song of the Earth 1968–2020 at Heide

Heide Museum of Modern Art is shining a light on one of Australia’s most quietly influential artists with Song of the Earth 1968–2020, the first major exhibition to chart John Nixon’s expansive, cross-disciplinary career. Spanning painting, photography, music, theatre and more, the show traces how Nixon continually reimagined what abstraction could be – and how it might shape everyday life.

Across the Heide Main Galleries and the Kerry Gardner & Andrew Myer Project Gallery, the exhibition follows Nixon’s evolution from his minimalist and conceptual late-’60s and ’70s works through to the striking pieces of the ’80s, where bold geometric paintings sit alongside unexpected readymade objects. It also highlights his long-running Experimental Painting Workshop – the conceptual framework that underpinned his practice for decades – and delves into his various side projects, from anti-music collectives to Polaroid photography. 

Song of the Earth also reflects on Nixon’s belief in art as an active, lived philosophy. Through his use of humble materials – hessian, cardboard, timber, metal – he became known for turning the everyday into something quietly lyrical. Archival material and key loans from major institutions help round out a portrait of an artist who shaped generations of Australian creatives.

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This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Heide Museum of Modern Art.