Art Wrap: Eight Exhibitions To See in Melbourne This Summer

There’s plenty to catch this summer, including an immersive and playable world of video games, an ode to incandescent queer aliens and an exhibition focusing on the legacy of abstract artist John Nixon. Plus, check out Carrie Bradshaw’s famous wedding dress and an exhibition that spotlights Australia’s craft scene.

Westwood | Kawakubo at the NGV

Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic wedding gown. Rihanna’s 2017 Met Gala look. Charli XCX’s Hackney Town Hall wedding dress. Between them, Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons have firmly established themselves as two of the most influential and radical designers of the 21st century. Now, in a world first, some of their most famous works have been brought together for the NGV’s summer blockbuster, Westwood | Kawakubo, an exhibition presenting more than 140 pieces from their respective archives. Until April 19, 2026. Tickets $40 for non-NGV members.

Tourmaline: Transcendent and r e a: c l a i m e d at ACCA

This summer, ACCA is presenting two solo exhibitions side by side for the first time. The program brings together new and recent work by Gamilaraay, Wailwan and Biripi digital media artist r e a, alongside American artist, activist, filmmaker and author Tourmaline. Though coming from distinct histories, both artists use video and photography to explore – and reimagine – queer, Black/Blak and postcolonial identities. Until March 15, 2026. Free.

Song of the Earth at Heide Museum of Modern Art

Throughout his career, John Nixon cemented his place as one of Australia’s most influential modern artists, celebrated for his rigorous approach to abstraction and non-objective painting. Now, Heide is presenting Song of the Earth, the first major survey of Nixon’s work, charting his early explorations of minimalist and conceptual painting, his renowned geometric abstractions, his readymade experiments and through to the final years of his practice. The exhibition is curated by Nixon’s wife, Sue Cramer, together with Melissa Keys. Until March 9, 2026. $27 (general museum access, including three other exhibitions).

Done/Undone at Craft Victoria

A celebration of process, Done/Undone brings together works by more than 50 Australian artists, making it Craft Victoria’s largest exhibition to date. Curated by Joseph Gardener, Style Editor at Vogue Living, the show spans jewellery, ceramics, furniture, lighting and object design. The exhibition reflects on the often unseen steps of making: erasure, revision, construction and simply letting things be, and asks the audience to reflect on the idea of “finishedness”. Until February 7, 2026. Free.

Order Up: A City Fed by Many Cultures at the Immigration Museum

You’ve heard it a thousand times: Melbourne is Australia’s food capital. Now the Immigration Museum is pulling back the curtain on the people, places, and history that have earnt the city this title. With two immersive videos and a collection of dockets from 33 of Melbourne’s most iconic eateries, the exhibition delves into the stories, codes, and cultural influences behind the kitchens that define the city’s dining scene. Until April 5, 2026. Tickets $15.

Stone Soup at Buxton Contemporary

A peeled orange, a lump of Blu-Tack, a crumpled water bottle: this is not rubbish. In Hany Armanious’s show Stone Soup, a renewed focus is brought to the things we often discard. Meticulously re-created in resin, these hyperreal sculptures prompt a pause, inviting viewers to sit with the overlooked and reconsider the value of the ordinary. Until April 11, 2026. Free.

Game Worlds at ACMI

What do Neopets, Minecraft, The Sims and Stardew Valley have in common? They’re video games, yes, but more importantly, they’re all included in ACMI’s new playable exhibition, Game Worlds. An overarching exploration of the development of video game culture, this exhibition spans over five decades, featuring more than 30 video games from the 1970s to today. Until February 8, 2026. Tickets $30.

Life on Mars: The Huxleys at Mars Gallery

From bedazzled, Elvis-style aliens to erect tributes to Keith Haring and sequinned Americana moths, The Huxleys’ Life on Mars is a full-blown ode to camp. Blurring the lines between performance, photography and theatre, this exhibition offers an incandescent, joy-filled, queer imagining of extraterrestrials through a vivid series of photographs and videos. Until February 7, 2026. Free.