Image: Bathurst Regional Art Gallery
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery will present ‘Five Decades: Studies in Realism’, a compact survey of personal work by Bathurst artist Graham Lupp OAM, from 29 August to 1 November 2026. The exhibition will be installed in the gallery’s Foyer Gallery and drawn from Lupp’s private collection, bringing together studies made during formative moments and experiences across five decades of practice.
The presentation focuses on works that offer an intimate view of Lupp’s development as an artist. According to the gallery, the studies provide a perspective on reflection, retrospection, vulnerability and wisdom, while also showing the importance the artist places on preparatory and exploratory works. Many of the studies later led to larger paintings now held in public and private collections, although the gallery notes that Lupp regards the studies themselves as having the greatest value.
Realism has remained central to Lupp’s practice since his time as an art student in London during the 1970s. His work has changed over the years through what the gallery describes as playful encounters with the realist tradition. Extensive travel during the 1990s introduced a new visual approach, combining images of overseas experiences with more familiar subjects, particularly landscapes drawn from the Bathurst region.
Lupp’s connection to Bathurst and its surroundings is a defining part of the exhibition’s context. Apart from periods studying architecture in Sydney and fine art in London, he has lived continuously in his hometown, developing a lifelong engagement with the landscape of the district and dedicating himself to its close study. In later work, his focus has gradually moved toward a more expressive approach as he has sought to understand the sublime through an emotional connection to the Australian bush.
The exhibition includes ‘Self-Portrait Study’, made in 1976 and measuring 27 by 22 centimetres. The work, identified by the gallery as an image from the exhibition, is credited courtesy of the artist. Its date places it within the early period of the practice surveyed and provides a specific example of the studies through which Lupp’s approach to realism has evolved.
‘Five Decades: Studies in Realism’ will open at Bathurst Regional Art Gallery on Friday 28 August at 6pm, with attendance requiring an RSVP. Lupp will give an artist talk at the gallery on Saturday 19 September at 11am, also requiring an RSVP. The gallery’s September ‘Talks and Tea’ program, scheduled for 9 September at 10.30am, will include a birthday celebration for Lupp. Entry to the exhibition is free. Bathurst Regional Art Gallery is located on Wiradjuri Country at 70–78 Keppel Street, Bathurst, New South Wales, and is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm and Saturday to Sunday from 10am to 2pm.
