Bison on Trampolines, Cats Riding Swans? Quiet Wonders by Six-Time Archibald Prize Finalist Artist Marc Etherington, Inspired by Life Beside a Glacial Lake

Marc Etherington: Quiet Wonders

2026 JAN 31 – MAR 22

Hiro Hiro Art Space is proud to present “Quiet Wonders”, the debut solo exhibition of artist Marc Etherington in Taipei, on view from January 31 to March 22, 2026. A six-time finalist for Australia’s prestigious Archibald Prize, Etherington has distinguished himself through a singular visual language rooted in Naive art and humorous narrative. From the warm bays of Southern Sydney to the glacial lakes of Alberta, Canada, his practice remains a visual adventure of “observation” and “recomposition.” His work acts as a prism, refracting the curious facets of pop culture, personal memory, wilderness landscapes, and domestic life.

“Quiet Wonders” continues Etherington’s signature dry humor and naive aesthetic while turning his gaze toward his current home in the Great White North, exploring the symbiosis between natural wonders and everyday existence. As the artist notes:

“This exhibition revolves around the imagined wonders of Canada’s landscapes and animals, shaped by a quiet yearning for simplicity and stillness. My paintings bring together the familiar and the unexpected, with domestic pets alongside wildlife, creating scenes that are both playful and contemplative.”

Etherington’s practice can be viewed as a form of “collector-style” visual fieldwork—he keenly gathers, observes, and reshuffles the symbols and sights of the world, creating subtle dislocations and surprises within his frames. In works such as Marlboro Cigarette Pack #1-#3, he uses hand-cut wood panels to depict everyday consumer packaging, imbuing industrial products with a rustic, artisanal feel. Moving into his exploration of the Canadian wilderness, his brushwork maintains a humble and honest touch. In “Quiet Wonders,” viewers will find that nature is not presented as an imposing, monumental wilderness, but rather as “micro-miracles”—quiet, smile-inducing moments deeply intertwined with daily life.

He transforms this reimagining of nature into a sincere invitation. The artist mentions:

“Through this reimagining of the natural world, I invite viewers to slow down, find moments of humor, and reconnect with the simple pleasures of everyday life.”

The works reflect a degree of geographical reality—Canada’s vast snowfields, forests, lakes, and cornfields—where bison, swans, horses, humans, and pets share the same grand habitat. However, through flattened compositions and vibrant acrylic pigments, Etherington strips away the threat and tension of the wild. These creatures appear to be partaking in a self-contained collective adventure, embodying his concept of the “interweaving of the familiar and the unexpected.”

Works such as I Ain’t Seen That Before, Bouncing Bison, and Floating Down the River invest animals with anthropomorphic personalities. A domestic cat rediscovers a sense of wild abandon in nature, ferried across the water atop an elegant swan in an absurd yet harmonious union. Mighty bison queue up orderly on a hillside, waiting for their turn to bound along the mountain’s edge via trampolines, showcasing the pure lightness of freedom. Elsewhere, horses and humans drift leisurely on individual rafts past a mundane street-side convenience store. This juxtaposition of the wilderness with consumer civilization creates a whimsical rhythm of life. This is the surprise hidden within his quiet meditations: that even beneath the ordinary veneer of daily life, there is always room for a wild daydream.

“Quiet Wonders” is not only Marc Etherington’s fantastical observation of his second home in Canada but also a daily exercise in looking inward. From domestic objects to the untamed wild, he uses his brush and carving tools to open a plateau for the imagination upon canvas and wood, leading us to see the quiet, shimmering wonders within the mediocrity of the everyday.

Works

CV

Born 1973, Sydney, Australia

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2026
Quiet Wonders, Hiro Hiro Art Space, Taipei

2023
One Day at a Time, Michael Reid Art Bar, Sydney

2022
Strange Days Indeed, Hugo Michell, Adelaide
Wondering About Things, Michael Reid, Sydney

2021
I Just Want You to Know That Everything Will Be A-Ok, Taymour Grahne, London
Star Wars Show, Michael Reid, Sydney

2020
Cave Paintings, Hugo Michell, Adelaide
Cow Poke, Michael Reid, Murrurundi

2018
Solo, Michael Reid, Sydney

2017
Take Me Home, Michael Reid, Sydney

2015
4 Solos: Marc Etherington, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Sydney

2014
Marc Making, Gallery 9, Sydney
Marc Etherington, Breezeblock Gallery, Sydney

2013
Two Sydney Painters (with Digby Webster), D.N.A. Gallery, Sydney

2012
Life and Times, Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney

Selected Group Exhibitions

2025
Sanctuary – 25 Years of Hazelhurst Art Centre, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Gymea

2024
Michael Reid at Sydney Contemporary (Art Fair), Sydney

2023
New Dog Old Tricks, Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery, Bowral

2022
Meta Office Wall, commissioned by Meta Open Arts, San Francisco
Nuggets Only, Toy De Jour, Chicago

Public Collections

Artbank, Sydney

Awards and Prizes

2020
Finalist, Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

2019
Finalist, Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Finalist, Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

2018
Finalist, Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

2017
Finalist, Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Finalist, Sir John Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

2016
Finalist, Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Finalist, Sir John Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

2015
Finalist, Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

2014
Finalist, Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Sydney
Finalist, John Fries Art Award, UNSW Galleries, Sydney

2013
Finalist, Salon des Refusés, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Finalist, Art On Paper Award, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Sydney