PIERMARQ* is pleased to present: Exchanging Culture for Lavender, an exhibition of new work by acclaimed Australian artist David Griggs, opening on Thursday, 2 October, from 6–8PM at 23 Foster Street. This is Griggs’ first exhibition at PIERMARQ* in Sydney.
In Exchanging Culture for Lavender, Griggs revisits some of his most iconic visual motifs through a renewed lens, imbuing them with humour, warmth, and a surprising delicacy. A metaphorical scent of lavender floats through the exhibition, softening the artist’s once ominous tone. Familiar figures like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse now seemingly at rest, the exhibition suggests a pause from past dystopian narratives. This is not the foreboding, chaotic vision of Griggs' earlier practice. Something has shifted.
Long regarded as a provocative and visionary force in contemporary Australian art, Griggs reflects on this transformation: “The world is a disaster. I can no longer bear to comment on our situation. Now, I just want to paint love and positivity...because where else can one go?” In this sentiment lies the heart of the exhibition. It signals not a retreat, but a reckoning, a conscious decision to offer beauty, humour, and optimism in place of despair. With unflinching confidence and masterful brushwork, Griggs continues to demonstrate why he is considered one of Australia's most compelling painters.
A ten-time Archibald Prize finalist, Griggs is renowned for his dynamic and visceral paintings that channel the raw energy of social commentary and personal introspection. His practice is characterised by a bold, punk-infused aesthetic, often exploring themes of identity, rebellion, and the intersections between the political and the personal. Through vivid portraiture, rich symbolism, and gritty narrative, his work captures the urgent pulse of contemporary life.
Griggs’ work is held in major public collections, including the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA), Singapore Art Museum and numerous private collections in Australia, Asia, and Europe. Born 1975, Griggs lives and works in Sydney, Australia.
