Sydney-born artist Zoe Young (b. 1978) explores still life, portraiture and abstraction, transforming everyday settings and objects into idyllic and evocative scenes.
Drawing on a childhood shaped by travel, different cultures and her family’s history in hospitality, Young creates compositions that evoke nostalgia while connecting personal memories with broader human experiences. Her paintings combine technical skill, emotional depth and storytelling, inviting viewers to linger within familiar yet transformed worlds.
Young has received the Portia Geach Prize, Mosman Art Prize Margaret Olley Award and Calleen Art Award, and has been a finalist in the Archibald Prize on four occasions, as well as the Darling Art Prize and Sulman Prize.
Image: Zoe Young, Cake with obnoxious cream, 2026, acrylic on linen, 95 × 80 cm.
