Crossroads
We’re excited to share that William Mackinnon’s solo exhibition ‘Pheonix’ will be presented at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, opening this Saturday 21st February.
This exhibition reflects the artist’s experiences living and working with Aboriginal communities in the Western Desert and Kimberley regions. As a field officer with Papunya Tula Artists in 2008-2009, Mackinnon witnessed both the extraordinary beauty of Aboriginal Country and the complex realities of remote community life, where isolation and hardship are balanced with cultural vitality and humour.
Presented with permission from Papunya Tula Artists, these paintings represent the artist’s reckoning with his experiences of that time, an empathetic meditation on beauty and survival.
‘Pheonix’ will be on display the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory from 21 February to 24 May 2026.
Pictured: William Mackinnon, Crossroads, 2019, synthetic polymer paint, oil, automotive enamel, glitter on linen, 200 x 300 cm, National Gallery of Australia Collection
William’s landscape paintings sit at the intersection between reality and imagination and convey a powerful sense of place and mood. William showed his latest body of work 'Crossroads' at Hugo Michell Gallery from 12 February to 21 March, hot off his sell-out show at Melbourne Art Fair 2014. In 2014 he was also a finalist in the Basil Sellers Prize and shortlisted for the Alice Prize. Born in Melbourne in 1978, he had his first show at the age of 19. He has exhibited widely nationally, and internationally in London, Washington DC, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. His work is held in the collections of Ian Potter Museum, Melbourne University, State Library of Victoria, Artbank, Griffith University, Holmsesglenn, Macquarie Bank Collections, RACV and Stonnington Council Collections, as well as various private collections in Australia and overseas.
We are thrilled to add this talented young artist to our great group of artists!