The Contemporary Art Society of Victoria Inc. presents ...
A4 Art Australia 2026 at the Herring Island Gallery
28 February; March 1, 7-9, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29; April 3-6
Review by Yvonne Torrico
The brief punt across the river to Herring Island takes a mere ten seconds, instantly setting the mood for the day ahead. "This is going to be a lovely day, an enriching experience, and a joyful occasion," we tell ourselves. And indeed, it was. The A4 Art Exhibition 2026 returned to Herring Island, that charming spot nestled in the heart of the Yarra. The sun shone, and the birds sang.
The Parks Victoria punt shuttling from herring Island to Como Landing
3 teams of hard working team volunteers framed over 600 artworks!
Having attended the A4 exhibition for many years, I can confidently say this year’s event was the largest yet, featuring 628 artworks by 218 artists from every state and territory. A dedicated team of volunteers worked tirelessly to unpack, frame, and hang all the pieces - a true marathon effort!
Hanging over 600 artworks
Hanging finished, and a well earned lunch
All pictures hung and sculptures placed
The opening on Sunday, February 28th, drew a wonderful turnout, with attendees traveling from near and far, including visitors from Geelong, Ballarat, and even a mother and daughter who journeyed all the way from Sale.
Opening of A4 Art Australia 2026 - we had a great turnout
In his opening speech, Robert Lee warmly welcomed all the visitors and expressed gratitude to the team of volunteers for their hard work in bringing the exhibition to life. He encouraged attendees to consider purchasing an artwork, posing the question, "Where else could you find such a bargain?" His concerns were unfounded, as several pieces had already sold before the official opening, and eager patrons lined up to make their purchases. Great sales were reported, with 900 visitors attending over the long weekend. The appeal? An impressive 65% of the artworks were priced under $150, drawing many returning visitors year after year to explore and buy - truly a thriving art market!
During the afternoon, I had the pleasure of speaking with Eddy Burger, a consistent exhibitor at A4, about his work "Robot Eats Monster Eats Robot", an inkjet print of a digitally colored drawing. Eddy has been fascinated by robots and monsters since childhood and is a fan of Godzilla movies. His other work, titled "Renegade Chickens", reflects his passion for animal liberation. Just as Eddy returns year after year, so do many other artists, some of whom have been exhibiting for over a decade. Robert Lee contributes annually, showcasing intriguing terracotta pottery this time. One of his pieces, "Luggage of Life," captivated younger visitors - a whimsical snail carrying luggage on its back instead of a shell, with an open oyster shell and a pearl nestled within. "Please, please can I have that one?" pleaded a little boy to his father, though his request sadly went unheard. It’s heartwarming to see children develop an appreciation for art from such an early age.
Two of our Members taking around some of the refreshments
Sculptor Aukje van Vark also exhibited, with four charming raku-fired pieces quickly snapped up by a couple who love her work. Raku is an ancient Japanese technique that involves removing pieces from the kiln while hot, and cooling them in combustible materials, resulting in unpredictable and often metallic glaze effects. Another intriguing medium featured at the exhibition was cyanotype, which we rarely see at A4. Linda Sukanta showcased her proficiency in this 19th-century, camera-less photographic printing process. By coating paper or fabric with a light-sensitive iron salt solution, placing objects on top, and exposing the medium to sunlight, she creates stunning images. Her piece "Morning Light at the Watermill" was particularly evocative, leaving me curious about the watermill's location.
Opening refreshments in the gallery courtyard, surrounded by bushland
Wall shot after hanging - includes Eddie Burger’s "Renegade Chickens" "Robot Eats Monster Eats Robot"
Wall shot after hanging - includes Gopinath Iyer’s Giraffe and Ramnath Iyer’s Roosters
It’s rare that we have two brothers exhibiting their artwork in the show at the same time. Ramnath Iyer included two watercolours of “Rooster”. One of these was a minimalist painting in watercolour, the other of the same Rooster (maximalism) was almost photographic in its rendition. Highly detailed in watercolour, it really showed the rooster to its best. Brother Gopinath Iyer also exhibited his watercolours and I noticed his giraffe oil pastel bending its long neck downwards, had quickly sold. It certainly had character.
Wall shot after hanging - with just a few of the many birds in the show, including “I need a coffee” in the bottom left
Many birds are featured in the exhibition. Visitors loved Anna Generalovas’ magpies. Who couldn’t? We all love those cheeky intelligent birds. Tammy McIntosh loves them too as she presented a magpie and a kookaburra in charcoal and graphite. And Mary Anderson gave us a very quirky bird, rendered in acrylic on yupo paper … but he was in a dressing gown and slippers! It was titled “I need a coffee” Art with a dash of humour. So much to see. Portraits such as the one of Napoleon, by Sylvia Leibrecht in acrylic, contrasted with Christiana Aprozeanu ‘s fine tonal drawing “Glance” in pencil and charcoal.
During the 3rd week of the exhibition, CAS Member Jude Bridges-Tull kindly held a clay workshop for children in the gallery courtyard. The kids loved it, and adults enjoyesd it too. Jude was kept busy all day and did a great job.
What a wonderful event this exhibition was. If you missed it, don’t worry. All work is also up online. Check it out. But be sure to be there next year!