PRISM, Group EXHIBITION

July 30th - August 27th 2026

Prism has the remarkable ability to receive a single beam of light and reveal the extraordinary spectrum contained within it. Though light may appear unified, it is composed of countless colours, each becoming visible through the act of refraction. What first appears singular is revealed to be layered, nuanced and interconnected. This exhibition draws upon that phenomenon as a metaphor for contemporary art, where distinct artistic voices reveal new possibilities when experienced together.

PRISM brings together artists whose practices span abstraction, figuration and expanded approaches to painting, each offering a distinctive visual language shaped by individual experience, material exploration and creative inquiry. The exhibition celebrates the breadth of contemporary practice and the many ways artists investigate colour, line, form, gesture, materiality and light. Together, these works demonstrate that contemporary painting continues to evolve beyond conventional definitions, embracing innovation while remaining grounded in the expressive potential of the painted surface.

The exhibition invites viewers to slow down and spend time with the works as relationships gradually emerge. Colour becomes a point of connection. Line shifts from ornamental structure to geometric precision, expressive gesture and figurative description. Surface ranges from meticulously controlled to intuitively layered. Light itself becomes an artistic material, transforming the way an artwork is experienced. Abstraction exists alongside narrative, and precision sits comfortably beside spontaneity. As viewers move through the gallery, they encounter a rich conversation between practices that are distinct in approach yet connected through a shared commitment to exploration and artistic inquiry.

Elizabeth Gleeson’s intricate compositions explore rhythm, repetition and symmetry through richly ornamented patterns inspired by decorative traditions. Peter Brook’s geometric abstractions investigate the relationships between colour, proportion and line with remarkable clarity and restraint. Matthew Simpson’s paintings are constructed through energetic gestural lines that accumulate into complex, layered compositions, where line becomes both structure and movement, inviting the eye to continually trace, wander and discover new relationships across the picture plane. Fiona Johnston’s luminous paintings explore organic transformation through fluid colour and biomorphic forms that evoke the continual rhythms of the natural world. Keith Ross presents figurative works that examine the human experience through narrative, symbolism and observation, balancing emotional sensitivity with moments of quiet humour. Gerard Russo challenges conventional boundaries between painting and sculpture through illuminated works that combine expressive mark-making, painting, etching and strategically integrated back-lighting. His engraved lightboxes transform the painted surface into an object that shifts with light, inviting viewers to experience portraiture as both image and sculptural presence. Doris Li (Xinzhi) contributes emotionally charged paintings informed by memory, identity and cultural experience, creating works that resonate on both personal and universal levels. The exhibition document identifies the participating artists and exhibited works that form this curatorial dialogue.

While every artist employs a different visual language, common threads emerge across the exhibition. Line becomes a unifying force, expressed through ornament, geometry, gesture, figuration and painterly movement. Colour functions as both structure and emotion. Material becomes an active participant in meaning, whether through layered paint, intricate pattern, engraved surfaces or illuminated forms. These relationships encourage viewers to look beyond individual artworks and consider the conversations that unfold between them.

PRISM marks the reanchoring of ROMULUS at the World Trade Centre and reflects an ongoing commitment to presenting thoughtfully curated exhibitions that champion innovation, experimentation and excellence in contemporary Australian art. Bringing together artists with distinctly different approaches, the exhibition celebrates the richness that emerges when multiple perspectives occupy the same space and demonstrates the continuing capacity of contemporary practice to challenge, inspire and expand our ways of seeing.

Like light passing through a prism, each artwork offers a different way of understanding the world. Individually, the works speak with clarity and conviction. Together, they reveal something greater: a spectrum of ideas, materials and perspectives that reminds us contemporary art is at its most compelling when diverse voices are brought into dialogue, each illuminating the others in unexpected and meaningful ways.

Curator: Angelina Mirabito

Installation Lead: Scott Ross

Curation & Installation Assistant: Zic Liu, Master of Arts and Cultural Management Intern, The University of Melbourne

Curation & Installation Assistant: Xin Ji, Master of Arts and Cultural Management Intern, The University of Melbourne