MICHAEL MUIR

In addition to his local environment, Muir frequently evokes scenes from his travels, with locations such as Singapore, Italy, and Victorian coastlines acting as inspirations. Muir’s paintings capture the interplay between memory and Muir’s characteristic style. The resulting scenes depict a world of candy-coloured faceted shapes, where the sun always shines.

Education and training

Muir’s formal training in the creative world began with an Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design and Advertising from Billy Blue College of Design in North Sydney (1994—1995). He further honed his artistic skills by obtaining a Diploma in Fine Arts from the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney (1999—2002).

Michael Muir’s technique and style

There’s a sculptural quality to the way Michael Muir describes form within his paintings, with seemingly flat planes of pigment that build up the scene through geometric shapes. Muir uses a palette knife to apply oil paint to create this effect, often working in sections across a loosely sketched-out canvas. As this style has developed, Muir has allowed for the texture created by the palette knife to feature more prominently in his work, emphasising the textured surfaces, which add a depth to his otherwise flat use of colour, and rewards viewing his works ‘in the flesh’.

While Muir works from photographic references he takes, there is an intuitive approach to how he composes his paintings; the photograph is only a starting point. Figures often play a key role in balancing the composition as well. The depicted scenes are influenced by nostalgia and the artist’s sense of place. Quoted in his bio for JD Malat Gallery, Muir has said, ‘I realised over time that my approach to finding subject matter relates back to my personal experience of shifting homes and countries at a young age.’ This sentimentality for childhood is further affected by raising three sons, and Muir has also noted that colour is key for communicating a sense of ‘connection and belonging.’

Michael Muir’s Awards and Accolades

Muir’s talent has been acknowledged through various awards, such as the 2014 Mosman Art Prize, a significant painting prize in Australia. He has also been a finalist for several other awards, including the Wynne Prize.

Muir’s work has been recognised and acquired by notable institutions. His painting Hidden in the Summer (2018) was added to Canberra’s Parliament House Art Collection. Muir’s work has also been acquired by the Australian Government-funded Artbank collection, which is one of the largest collections of Australian contemporary art in the world.

Exhibitions

Muir is prolific in his output and is often the focus of solo exhibitions at galleries that represent him. His works are featured frequently at art fairs such as Melbourne Art Fair and the Aotearoa Art Fair. Selected solo exhibitions include:

• Above the Surface, JD Malat Gallery, London (2024)
• Based on a True Story, Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane (2023)
• Rising Tide, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney (2022)

Selected group exhibitions include:

• From Margaret Olley to Salote Tawale: 75 years of the Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney (2022)
• Mirror, Mirror, Macquarie University Art Gallery, Sydney (2019)
• Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales (2014 & 2015)

Website and Instagram

Michael Muir does not have a personal website, but you can find his Instagram here.

Michael Muir FAQs

Hazel Ellis | Ocula | 2025