TRAVIS MACDONALD

Early Years

Travis MacDonald was born in Bunnythorpe, New Zealand, in 1990. He grew up in New Zealand before relocating to Melbourne, Australia, where he is now based. MacDonald completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, in 2011. His upbringing in New Zealand and subsequent move to Australia continue to inform his artistic perspective, drawing on the landscapes, social activities, and people of both countries.

Travis MacDonald Artworks

MacDonald’s works are known for their dreamlike quality, combining elements of memory, personal history, and the surreal to create contemplative paintings that evoke both familiarity and ambiguity.

MacDonald’s paintings often depict urban settings infused with a sense of nostalgia and mystery. He draws on souvenirs, familiar figures, and everyday objects, situating them within ambiguous, often nocturnal, environments. His works employ iridescent mists of colour and a palette that liberates colour from its descriptive function to create metaphorical and surreal visual worlds.

Influences and Developments

MacDonald’s approach is informed by art historical figures such as Giorgio de Chirico, Clarice Beckett, and the Nabis group. His works frequently reference the social and physical landscapes of New Zealand and Australia, merging personal memory with broader cultural narratives. He often blurs the boundaries between the real and the imagined, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own experiences.

Awards and Accolades

• Winner, Geelong Contemporary Art Prize, 2024
• Gary Grossbard Drawing Prize
• Lionel Gell Foundation Drawing Scholarship

Exhibitions

Travis MacDonald has been the subject of both solo and group exhibitions.

Solo Exhibitions

• fly by night, JVDW Gallery, Düsseldorf, 2023–24
• Rain Sounds, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne, 2021
• I’ll be back tomorrow, Painters Painting Paintings, 2024

Group Exhibitions

• Painting. More Painting., Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne, 2016
• Melbourne Art Fair, 2018
• May Art Fair, 2025

Website and Instagram

Travis MacDonald’s website can be found here and his Instagram can be found here.

Critical Reception

MacDonald’s practice has been covered in leading art publications and is held in significant collections such as Artbank and Geelong Gallery.

Ocula | 2025