Art exhibitions to see in Adelaide in 2024 and early 2025

When it comes to art, Adelaide punches above her weight. With an outstanding collection of Indigenous art, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s stunning permanent collection and a focus on supporting emerging artists, the South African art scene is now stronger than ever.

Here – in chronological order – are Adelaide’s best art exhibitions.

From birthday cakes and religious ceremonies to power outages, candles are an integral part of the lives of people around the world. Flames at the Jam Factory brings together ten different artists to reflect the historical, cultural and spiritual significance of candles, light and fire.
The flame will last until November 24 at the Jam Factory.

Experience a life-size recreation of Indigenous artist Archie Moore’s childhood home in Samstag’s Archie Moore: Dwelling. Commissioned by the 2024 Adelaide Film Festival (focusing on a Golden Lion-winning artist), the exhibition combines video works and immersive installations to transport you into the realm of memories. Sound, smell, touch and sight all play an important role in this reflection on historical institutional racism.
Archie Moore: The residency will last until November 29 at the Samstag Art Museum.

Contemporary art will take center stage at Studios: 2024. Five female artists will take over the gallery to showcase works created during their year-long residency. Working across a variety of different media, this diverse and exciting show celebrates the next generation of South Australian artists.
Studios: 2024 runs from 9 November to 14 December at ACE (Adelaide Contemporary Experimental).

On the art market? Look no further than Wish You Were Here, Adelaide Central School of the Arts’ annual fundraising event. Featuring postcard-sized pieces from both established and emerging artists, the exhibit offers the opportunity to purchase artwork for as little as $80.
Wish You Were Here runs from 10 to 15 November at the Adelaide Central Gallery.

The historic Carrick Hill estate has been transformed into a poetic and intriguing meditation on space for Adelaide artist Bridget Currie’s Every World. Currie interweaves sculptural and painting practice with artworks scattered throughout the estate. Like a maze, this exhibition opens up new paths and perspectives as you move through it.
Bridget Currie: Each World will run until January 5, 2025 on the Carrick Hill Estate.

The art world has historically dismissed textiles as a home hobby, but this year the Art Gallery of South Australia is showcasing the material’s vast creative potential with its upcoming exhibition Radical Textiles. From the historical significance of the AIDS Remembrance Blanket to the dynamic designs of Iris van Herpen and the rich textile practices of Australia’s indigenous peoples, Radical Textiles celebrates the timeless nature of textile practice.
Radical Textiles runs from 23 November to 30 March 2025 at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

Step back in time with the free exhibition Reimagining the Renaissance at the Art Gallery of South Australia. More than 140 Renaissance paintings, sculptures, works on paper and decorative arts drawn from AGSA’s private collections are exhibited together to present a comprehensive history of the Renaissance.
The exhibition Reimagining the Renaissance runs until 13 April 2025 at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

The brilliant sculptural works of renowned American glass artist Dale Chihuly are coming to the Botanical Garden. Peeking out from the flowerbeds and waterways around the garden are 15 hand-blown glass installations that visitors can explore for free along a two-kilometre trail. The exhibition includes two new works created specifically for this site: Glacial ice and lapis chandelier And Jet and Crimson Fiori. Inside the Bicentennial Conservatory is an adjacent ticketed exhibit, “In Full Color: Dale Chihuly,” which showcases the work and also talks about his life and the intricacies of viewing such fragile works. At this exhibition you will find Jet and Crimson Fiori Inspired by South Australia’s floral emblem, the Sturt dessert pea. Another ticketed event, Chihuly Nights takes you through the gardens after dark to see the works transformed under the bright lights.
Chihuly at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens runs until 29 April 2025 at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.

Additional reporting by Lucy Bell Bird.