Stephen Pleban

1964 | Ballarat

Stephen Pleban‘s heavily textured paintings depict saturated scenes which explore the connection between humans and animals in pseudo-landscapes. He explores the uncertainty of our altered relationship with the natural world and in dream-like depictions, creates an imaginative interplay between light and dark, night and day, and our desire to discover new ways of sensing, learning and being.

Pleban says, "I draw imagery from contemporary culture, old photographs and music, and am interested in timeless attire, perhaps from the distant past and merging with the contemporary. The use of technology to examine and understand a new world is often present in my work."

Stephen Pleban has been shortlisted for a number of award exhibitions including the Paddington Art Prize, Calleen Art Award, Glover Art Prize, Len Fox Art Prize and is represented in the collection of Ballarat Art Gallery, City of Moonee Valley and St John Of God Hospital in Perth among others.

AVAILABLE WORKS

CV

STEPHEN PLEBAN

born 1965, lives in Ballarat

QUALIFICATIONS

2003 University of Ballarat, Master of Fine Art (incomplete)

1995 Academie Van Beeldende Kunsten, Rotterdam, Postgraduate

1986 Victorian College of the Arts, Bachelor of Fine Art

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2026
Animal Tracks, Gallerysmith, Melbourne, Vic

2025
Finding Sanctuary, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, NSW

2024
A Wild Kindness, Gallerysmith, Melbourne, Vic

2023
Kind of World, Gallerysmith, Melbourne, Vic
Half the Day is Night, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, NSW

2022
Thinking of a Place, &Gallery Australia, Sorrento, Vic

2021
Thinking of a Place, Project Gallery 90, Sydney, NSW

2018
In Search, Biennale of Australian Art, St Andrews Hall, Ballarat, Vic

2011
Lake Surfaces, Art Gallery of Ballarat, Vic

2004
In Vivo, Span Gallery, Melbourne, Vic

2003
In Vivo, Post Office Gallery, Ballarat, Vic

1995
De Kooning Academie Rotterdam, Netherlands

1994
West Space, Footscray, Vic

GROUP AND PRIZE EXHIBITIONS

2025
Sydney Contemporary, presented by Gallerysmith, Carriageworks, Sydney, NSW
Winter Exhibition, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, NSW
Group Show, Rarity Gallery, Greece
Beyond Generation Z, Yudian Gallery, China

2024
Revere Reflect and Regenerate, St John of God Murdoch, Perth, WA
Sydney Contemporary, presented by Martin Browne Contemporary, Carriageworks, Sydney, NSW

2023
Sydney Contemporary, presented by Gallerysmith, Carriageworks, Sydney, NSW
Winter Group Exhibition, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, NSW
XV: PAST PRESENT FUTURE, Gallerysmith, Melbourne, Vic

2022
Resistance! Paintings as Provisional Realities, M16 Artspace, ACT
Summer Group Exhibition, Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney, NSW

2021
The Nude Exhibition, Project Gallery 90, Sydney, NSW

2020
1.5 Degrees, fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne, Vic

2017
What’s in the box?, BOAA, Ballarat, Vic

2016
Miniature Immensities, Kingston Art Centre, Moorabbin, Vic

2012
Unicorn Art Space, Ballarat, Vic

2011
Orbit, Space 22, Ballarat

2010
Weather Project, Space 22, Ballarat, Vic

2008
Art Deco Postcard Exhibition, Post Office Gallery, Ballarat, Vic

2005
Art for Science, Nellie Castan Gallery, South Yarra, Vic

2004
Masters/PhD Exhibition, Post Office Gallery, Ballarat, Vic

2003
Post card exhibition, Linden Gallery, St. Kilda, Vic

2002
Masters/PhD Exhibition, Post Office Gallery, Ballarat, Vic

1998
Coalesce, Diane Tanzer Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic

1996
Gesprek met Vermeer, Museum Prinsenhof, Delft, Netherlands

1995
Gallerie Maurits van der Laar, Den Haag, Netherlands
Contemporary Art Fair, Belgium

1989
Three-person exhibition, Judith Pugh Gallery, Vic
Second Contemporary Melbourne Art Fair, Royal Exhibition Building, Vic

1988
Ten New Artists, 70 Arden Street, North Melbourne, Vic
Le Quattro Stagioni (Four Artists, Four Approaches, Four Mediums), The Warehouse, Vic

PRIZES / RESIDENCIES

2025
Finalist, Flanagan Art Prize, St Patrick’s College, Ballarat, Vic

2024
Finalist, Len Fox Painting Award, Castlemaine Art Museum, Vic

2023
Finalist, Calleen Art Award 2023, Cowra Art Gallery, NSW

2021
Finalist, Tatiara Art Prize, Walkway Gallery, SA

2020
Finalist, Glover Art Prize, Hobart, Tas

2019
Finalist, Len Fox Art Prize, Castlemaine Art Museum, Castlemaine, Vic
Finalist, Kilgour Prize, Newcastle Art Gallery, NSW
Finalist, Kennedy Prize, Adelaide, SA

2017
Finalist, Kennedy Prize, Adelaide, SA

2016
Finalist, Belle Art Prize, Bailey Gallery, Abbotsford, Vic
Finalist, Paddington Art Prize, Sydney, NSW

2015
Finalist, Belle Art Prize, Bailey Gallery, Abbotsford, Vic
Finalist, Flanagan Contemporary Art Prize, Ballarat, Vic

2014
Finalist, Rick Amor Drawing Prize, Art Gallery of Ballarat, Vic
Finalist, Calleen Art Award, Cowra Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Highly Commended, Calleen Art Award, NSW

2013
Finalist, Flanagan Contemporary Art Prize, Ballarat, Vic

2011
Finalist, Flanagan Contemporary Art Prize, Ballarat, Vic

2010
Finalist, Williamstown Contemporary Art Prize, Williamstown, Vic

2009
Finalist, Williamstown Contemporary Art Prize, Williamstown, Vic
Finalist, Flanagan Contemporary Art Prize, Ballarat, Vic

2008
Finalist, John Leslie Art Prize, Gippsland Art Gallery, Vic

1999
City of Moonee Valley Art Prize, Vic

1998
Finalist, City of Moonee Valley Contemporary Art Prize, Vic

1997
Finalist, Shell Art Prize, Williamstown, Vic
Finalist, City of Moonee Valley Contemporary Art Prize, Vic

1991
National Art Prize, The Australian newspaper, NSW

1990
VTU Art Prize, Caulfield Art Gallery, Vic

1987
Murdoch Travelling Fellowship, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Vic

1983
Winner, Sarah Levy Painting Prize, Victorian College of the Arts: National Gallery of Victoria, Vic

COLLECTIONS

Art Gallery of Ballarat; City of Moonee Valley; Victorian Teachers Union; Clarendon College Ballarat; St John of God Health Care Art Collection, Private Collections in Australia and Europe