Brisbane painter and muralist Aleja Hine explores modern dating, connection and the beauty of ordinary life in Still Looking, a new solo exhibition opening at The Nest Creative Space in West End on Saturday 17 October 2026.
Developed throughout 2026, the exhibition draws directly from Hine’s experiences with online dating as a woman in her thirties. At its centre is a series of five oil paintings based on real dates. Rather than traditional portraits, the paintings focus on gestures, body language and the small moments of intimacy that happen across the table.
“After five years of dating apps, I figured I should probably get something out of it,” Hine says. “There’s something fascinating about how quickly we can go from strangers to intimacy, and sometimes straight back to strangers again. Painting those moments became a way of making something permanent out of something that can feel incredibly temporary.”
By coincidence, every date depicted in the series took place in West End. These works sit alongside night-time paintings of Hine’s neighbourhood, still lifes and scenes from everyday life, forming a broader record of the people, places and objects that surround us while searching for connection.
Despite examining some of the frustrations of modern dating, Still Looking remains hopeful.
“Still Looking means exactly what it says,” Hine says. “I’m still looking.”
Opening: Saturday 17 October 2026, 5:30–9pm. Free entry.
The exhibition will also be open on Sunday 18 and Monday 19 October, with daytime viewing hours to be confirmed.
