Painting the Celestial is a major retrospective exhibition celebrating the work of Ipswich-based painter Leonard Brown. Renowned for his sublime, minimal abstract canvases, Brown is represented in major public collections across Australia, including the National Gallery of Australia, Queensland Art Gallery, National Gallery of Victoria, Art Gallery of South Australia and Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Alongside his abstract practice, Brown is an accomplished icon painter, working within the ancient traditions of Byzantine and Medieval Russian iconography. His consecrated icons are used in churches worldwide and are also held in private and public collections. Brown is equally respected for his figurative work; he won the Brisbane Portrait Prize in 2019 and has received numerous awards, including The Blake Prize for Religious Art in 2010.

Painting the Celestial is the first comprehensive retrospective of Brown’s five-decade career. For this exhibition, the Ipswich Art Gallery is transformed to include a gold-radiating sanctuary designed to display his icons with reverence, while his abstract works are presented in greater depth than ever before. Together, these works invite audiences into a transcendent experience, offering a glimpse into a more contemplative and spiritual realm.

Born in Brisbane in 1949, Leonard Brown has called Ipswich home for twenty years. This landmark exhibition honours one of Australia’s most significant living artists.

Curator: Sasha Grishin AM, FAHA
An Ipswich Art Gallery exhibition