The best art and exhibitions in Melbourne this month

Melburnians, it’s time to get dotty, because NGV International is playing host to the largest collection of Yayoi Kusama’s work ever seen in Australia. The exhibition (aptly named Yayoi Kusama) will take over the entire ground floor of the gallery, with works from the artist best known for her unique use of dots. This world-premiere exhibition will feature more than 180 works, including an NGV-specific piece transforming the iconic Waterwall and an installation of giant balloons in the Great Hall called 'Dots Obsession'.

For the 18th time, the Melbourne Art Fair is returning as a major fixture on the calendars of arty folks around the country (and Australasia). The fair describes itself as a progressive event showcasing boundary-pushing contemporary art, with a focus on underrepresented artists and women-led curation. This year the fair will span an incredible 9,000sqm space and feature works from 70 leading galleries and Indigenous owned art centres. 

Make space in your February plans to head to the Koorie Art Show, and take in technical mastery, experimentation and storytelling from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, senior artists and young creatives. This uplifting and joyful showcase is the perfect way to celebrate the rich and unique identities of First Peoples in Victoria, and kick off some creative inspiration for the new year.

Whack on something dazzling and dust off your dancing shoes as the much-loved NGV Friday Nights returns this summer as part of the Yayoi Kusama exhibition. Until April 18, you can take an after-hours journey through immersive installations, including Kusama’s beloved infinity rooms. Grab a tipple from one of the multiple bars or enjoy a set menu at the NGV Garden Restaurant from acclaimed Aussie chef Martin Benn. If a snack is more your vibe, head to the Great Hall or Gallery Kitchen for a Japanese-inspired menu. The trendy tunes are another key drawcard, with DJs performing in the Great Hall every night. These musicians have been chosen to compliment the energy of Kusama’s work with upbeat J-pop and electro rhythms.

The Outsiders Melbourne will feature more than 100 works, including art never before displayed in public. Expect gems from local names like Rone, Adnate, Sofles, Vexta, Fintan Magee, Meggs, Kaff-eine and more. On the international side, feast your eyes on art from Barry McGee, Vhils, Swoon, Invader, Shepard Fairey, Ron English, Elle and an entire room dedicated to Banksy himself. Fans of the mystery artist will be pleased to know that this exhibition will also see his new work ‘Firework’ on display in Australia for the first time. 

Screen culture is so often where our ideas of the future are formed, which is why ACMI is hosting an entire exhibition dedicated to the topic. The Future and Other Fictions is a collection of sets, props, artworks, scripts, costumes and more, all underpinned by their shared exploration of a fictional tomorrow. With more than 180 items on display spanning Black Panther to Björk, this one’s sure to stimulate your imagination and spark reflection in equal measure.

Melbourne’s cutting edge digital art gallery, the Lume, is bringing back its beloved opening exhibition for a summer season. Van Gogh made kaleidoscopic waves through the city when it served as the first-ever exhibition at the digital gallery, re-shaping the way Melburnians experience art. The experience reimagines the now-famous painter's works as projections that completely ensconce you in an 11-metre tall gallery, allowing you to feel like you're in van Gogh's bedroom or under that famous starry night. A mirrored infinity room filled with countless sunflowers also features, which is particularly Instagrammable. 

Do you have golden retriever energy, or are you more of a black cat kind of person? Felines and canines form an important part of the everyday lives, pop culture and mythology of humans, and the latest exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria celebrates the role of these animals. Cats and Dogs is now showing at the NGV’s Ian Potter Centre until July 2025. The exhibition will feature more than 250 works of art, design and fashion spanning diverse periods and media, all drawn from the NGV’s own collection. 

Māori storyteller Irihipeti Waretini has created a new exhibition of photography, multimedia art and film centred around the Māori matriarchy. Māreikura - Ka rere te rongoā (the medicine flows) is happening now at the CBD’s Immigration Museum, until late February 2025. The exhibition, which is Waretini’s first solo showing, features 15 striking photographic portraits of Māori women, all of whom have moko kauae – aka traditional chin tattoos. Also included is an intricately carved pou (pillar). 

Traversing time and space, Wurrdha Marra is an ongoing exhibition celebrating the diversity of First Nations art and design. Since late 2023, the ground floor and foyer of the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia has become home to a dynamic and ever-changing exhibition space that displays masterpieces and never-before-shown works from the NGV’s First Nations collection.

This ACMI exhibition is titled Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition and it’s all about a video game where you play a grumpy goose terrorising an innocent little town. Released in 2029 by Victorian developers House House, Untitled Goose Game is a multi-award-winning game of stealth and slapstick, which was quick to become a global cult favourite with kids and grownups alike. Whether you’re a video game expert or a complete noob, you can learn about the rich history of slapstick comedy that inspired the game, or play early versions from the development process that have never been seen by the public before.

Have you ever dreamed of walking with dinosaurs? Well Melbourne, life finds a way. Jurassic World: The Exhibition is roaring into the city this year following a hugely successful stint in Sydney. This enormous and immersive experience celebrates 31 years of the film franchise that began with the ground-breaking 1993 movie Jurassic Park. 

As you enter the tranquil space of the museum’s living Forest Gallery, you’ll encounter portraits of Elders and community members of the Eastern Kulin Nations. Use your phone to listen to their stories, detailing their unique and personal relationships to Country.  

Joy features seven brand new commissioned installations from leading Victorian-based creatives, each expressing the artists’ own personal joy. You can expect an emotive adventure where colour and storytelling combine, and big happy moments that sit alongside more reflective ones.