Brett Whiteley Studio

Brett Whiteley Studio The Brett Whiteley Studio is temporarily closed for building upgrades, and will be closed to the public until late 2025.

Temporarily closed until 2026 for building upgrades, the Brett Whiteley Studio is a public art museum in the former studio and home of Australian artist Brett Whiteley. Find out more about the upgrades, and the Studio's touring exhibition during closure: https://bit.ly/3RhDfYR

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The Brett Whiteley Studio is a public art museum, based in the former studio and home of Australian artist, Brett Whi

teley (1939–92). The artist bought the former warehouse in 1985 and converted it into a studio and exhibition space. He lived there from 1987 to 1992, the year he died in Thirroul. When the Studio is reopened in late 2025, visitors have the unique opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the space – the studio with Brett's unfinished paintings, art equipment and collections of reference books, and the graffiti wall covered with quotes and images. The living area has memorabilia such as photographs, objects, postcards, furniture, his music collection and sketchbooks. The gallery has changing exhibitions of the artist’s works: paintings, drawings, sculpture and graphics borrowed from the Brett Whiteley Studio Collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales and private collections.

Enrolments for term 2 of our Drawing Workshops at Wendy's Secret Garden are now open. 📅 Thursdays, 14 May – 4 June 202...
23/04/2026

Enrolments for term 2 of our Drawing Workshops at Wendy's Secret Garden are now open.

📅 Thursdays, 14 May – 4 June 2026
🕥 10.30am – 12.30pm

🖱️ Places are limited. Book now via the link in our bio.

Be guided by our experienced tutors to develop observational skills and let your creativity flow.

Immerse yourself in the lush green and scenic views of Sydney Harbour to find out why this place inspired so many of Brett's beloved works.

All levels welcome. All materials provided.

Charges apply.

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Images. Moments from Drawing Workshop at Wendy’s Secret Garden presented by the Brett Whiteley Studio, term 1 2026. Photos by Ruby Furney-Goodwin

🎨 Happy Birthday Brett — born 7 April 1939 🎂__Brett Whiteley in Lavender Bay, 1970s. archive. Photographer unknown.
06/04/2026

🎨 Happy Birthday Brett — born 7 April 1939 🎂

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Brett Whiteley in Lavender Bay, 1970s. archive. Photographer unknown.

Brett and novelist and playwright Patrick White had a complex relationship, which swung from mutual admiration to bitter...
01/04/2026

Brett and novelist and playwright Patrick White had a complex relationship, which swung from mutual admiration to bitter dislike before settling into a quiet, forgiving friendship. They enjoyed discussing politics and literature while they walked their dogs together in Centennial Park.

Brett’s inscription in the top left -hand corner of this work reads: 'Portrait of Patrick White as a headland after discussion about reincarnation', which suggests it is an imaginative portrayal of the Nobel Prize-winning author reborn as a coastal landscape.

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Brett Whiteley ‘Patrick as headland’ 1980, Brett Whiteley Studio collection © Wendy Whiteley/Copyright Agency

Inspired by the concept of ying and yang in Chinese philosophy, Brett Whiteley explores dualities and tensions between o...
25/03/2026

Inspired by the concept of ying and yang in Chinese philosophy, Brett Whiteley explores dualities and tensions between opposites - light and dark, black and white, life and death – in this macabre lithograph from 1983. Its striking design also demonstrates Whiteley’s skill as a graphic artist, which he honed while working at Lintas Advertising Agency in the late 1950s. He employed these skills throughout his career, designing t-shirts, posters and album covers.

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Brett Whiteley ‘Life and death’ 1983, Brett Whiteley Studio Collection © Wendy Whiteley/Copyright Agency

Here’s Brett trackside, soaking up the atmosphere. 🏁A different kind of cultural moment, but just as iconic. With the Au...
06/03/2026

Here’s Brett trackside, soaking up the atmosphere. 🏁

A different kind of cultural moment, but just as iconic. With the Australian Grand Prix () in its 2026 season, we’re revisiting this late-’80s snapshot of Brett at the race, back when it was held in Adelaide.

Can you spot the iconic Williams and Lotus bodywork on the pit lane below? 👀

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Brett Whiteley at the Australian Grand Prix of Formula 1 in Adelaide, late 1980s. Archive

Brett was known for having had distinctive cars throughout his career. Here’s a polaroid from our archives of one of his...
26/02/2026

Brett was known for having had distinctive cars throughout his career. Here’s a polaroid from our archives of one of his whips in the 1970s, a silver Lancia Zagato – before a kangaroo jumped on it – Don’t ask us how or why! 🤷‍♀️🦘

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Polaroid of Brett Whiteley’s Lancia Zagato 1970s, Archive

A rare glimpse behind the scenes: Wendy Whiteley and former Art Gallery of New South Wales Head Curator of Australian Ar...
17/02/2026

A rare glimpse behind the scenes: Wendy Whiteley and former Art Gallery of New South Wales Head Curator of Australian Art, Barry Pearce, circa 1995 supervising the installation of Brett's 'Alchemy' in preparation for the Studio's opening.

On 17 February 1995, the Brett Whiteley Studio opened its doors as a public museum under the management of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The former warehouse at 2 R***r Street in the back lanes of Surry Hills was purchased by Brett in 1985 and became his studio – and later his last home from 1988. After Brett's passing in 1992, the building was acquired by the NSW Government in 1994, paving the way for its transformation into the beloved museum we know today.

The Studio is temporarily closed for renovations to address age-related deterioration and accessibility requirements and is scheduled to reopen mid this year.

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Installation of Brett Whiteley 'Alchemy' 1972-73 at the Brett Whiteley Studio, c.1995. Brett Whiteley Studio Archive, photo by Alan Lloyd © Art Gallery of New South Wales

First shown in Brett’s ‘Waves’ exhibition at Australian Galleries, Melbourne, in 1973, ‘The divided unity’ is a Hokusai-...
10/02/2026

First shown in Brett’s ‘Waves’ exhibition at Australian Galleries, Melbourne, in 1973, ‘The divided unity’ is a Hokusai-esque drawing of a stormy sea featuring a magazine clipping of an ear. While this dismembered body part could be read as a subtle nod to Brett’s idol Vincent van Gogh - who infamously cut off his own ear after quarrelling with Paul Gauguin at Arles, France - its origin was far more prosaic: Brett was inspired by the surreal sight of a swimmer’s ear poking out of the heavy surf in Fiji in 1969.

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Brett Whiteley ‘The divided unity’ 1973, Brett Whiteley Studio collection © Wendy Whiteley/Copyright Agency

Drawing Workshops at Wendy’s Secret Garden return in 2026. Join us for a series of guided drawing sessions in the garden...
30/01/2026

Drawing Workshops at Wendy’s Secret Garden return in 2026.

Join us for a series of guided drawing sessions in the garden that inspired many of Brett Whiteley’s views of Sydney Harbour. A chance to slow down, look closely and develop your skills in a truly special setting.

📅 Thursdays, 26 February – 19 March 2026
🕥 10.30am – 12.30pm

Places are limited. Book now: https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/events/drawing-wendy-feb-26/

All levels welcome. All materials provided.

Charges apply.

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Images. Moment from Drawing Workshop at Wendy’s Secret Garden presented by the Brett Whiteley Studio, term 3 2025. Photos by Fabio Marques.

As we approach the end of the year, it’s time to look back at some of the highlights of 2025.Although the R***r Street l...
21/12/2025

As we approach the end of the year, it’s time to look back at some of the highlights of 2025.

Although the R***r Street location remained temporarily closed for renovations, the Brett Whiteley Studio team kept busy.

🚌 The touring exhibition ‘Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio’ attracted 42,816 visitors across regional galleries in four Australian states.

🎓 The Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship awarded regional and international scholarships, with the five Shark Island Kangaroo Valley recipients having completed their residency in November. The exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW showcased 11 works from 10 finalists.

🎨 We delivered 4 terms of Drawing workshops at Wendy’s Secret Garden in Lavender Bay via our Education team.

And of course, we keep on engaging with you here in our channels.

Whether you’re taking a break or not, we’re wishing you a lovely Summer.

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Image 1. Installation view of ‘Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio’ at Shepparton Art Museum. Photo courtesy of SAM.

Image 2. View of ‘Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio’ at Shepparton Art Museum. Photo by Leon Schoots

Image 3. Brett Whiteley Studio Curator Nick Yelverton delivering floortalk at the opening of “Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio” at Orange Regional Gallery. Photo courtesy of ORG

Images 4 and 5. Finalists of the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship 2025 at the winners’ announcement event at the Art Gallery of NSW. Photo by Mim Stirling

Image 5. Installation view of the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship 2025 at the Art Gallery of NSW. Photo by Mim Stirling

Image 6. Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship 2025 recipients Casey Chen, Gigi Malherbe, Tresor Murace, Jacob Davidson and Naoise Halloran-Mackay with guest judge Joan Ross, Wendy Whiteley, AGNSW A/Director of Collections and Exhibitions Wayne Tunnicliffe, AGNSW Director Maud Page and SIKV Executive Director Sarah Butler at Shark Island Kangaroo Valley residency studio. Photo by Beatrice Gralton

Image 7 and 8. Moments from Drawing Workshop at Wendy’s Secret Garden presented by the Brett Whiteley Studio, term 3 2024. Photo by Fabio Marques

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2 Raper Street
Surry Hills, NSW
2010

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+61292251881

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