Nine NAS Grads Forge New Visions at Sydney Contemporary 2025
Image: National Art School grads at Sydney Contemporary 2025 (L-R): Harrison Chao, Christian Bonett and Mullins Photography Prize winner Johanna Ng Source: Supplied by Articulate
Sydney Contemporary, Australia’s biggest art fair, is back at Carriageworks with sprawling galleries, VIP buyers, and a city-wide buzz. Cutting through the glitz this year are nine fresh voices from the National Art School (NAS), putting their work and themselves front and centre.
Running 11–14 September, the fair is shaping up to be its most ambitious yet, featuring more than 110 galleries and over 500 emerging artists across contemporary and modern art.
Sydney’s diverse art scene on show—and on sale at Sydney Contemporary
Amid the installations and headline names, the NAS booth stands out as a must-see. It’s a platform to discover the next wave of Australian art, showing the Sydney art scene isn’t pulling punches.
Curated by Olivia Brownbridge and Katrina Cashman, the showcase spans painting, sculpture and ceramics through to printmaking and photomedia.
With works starting at $100, it’s a rare chance for collectors and curious punters alike to back artists early and take home compelling pieces.
The NAS grads carving and shaping Sydney’s contemporary art world
The vast line-up isn’t playing it safe—nor should it. Jake Bartley’s giant canvases riff on pop culture and animation while diving into darker terrain: sex, violence, addiction and depression.
Christian Jon Bonett fuses ceramics, neon and painting together to dissect car culture, class and gender.
Harrison Chao turns conspiracy theories and digital misinformation into pastel labyrinths that unsettle mind and eye.
Sculptor Lewis Doherty works bronze and aluminium into abstract forms that are as much about process as product. Printmaker Isabella Kennedy (Jawoyn, Dagoman and Anglo-Australian) uses expanded printmaking to explore grief, memory and resisting colonial narratives.
Rachel Mackay blends drawing, sculpture and moving image to examine identity, embodiment and the female body in flux.
Megan McKenzie coaxes clay and glaze into contemplative forms that invite viewers to shift their sense of space.
Shifting mediums, Johanna Ng, winner of the $30,000 Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize, uses photography and installation to probe truth and self-representation.
Rounding it out, Taylor Steel captures urban decay and overlooked cityscapes through experimental print and photo media.
NAS Director and CEO Dr Kristen Sharp says the booth is all about breadth and boldness. “From painting and sculpture to experimental media, our presentation reflects the vitality of practice at NAS. It’s a chance to introduce collectors to the next generation of artists.”
Of course, Sydney Contemporary itself will be a feast for art fiends, with guided tours, artist talks across genres, educational workshops and enough installations to clog your feed.
But if you want to see where modern and contemporary art are heading, whether you’re a seasoned collector or new to the scene, the NAS showcase is the place to pause.
Sydney Contemporary 2025 is running from 11-14 September at Carriageworks.
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