ROSS HALFACREE

SPACE 1

Exhibition dates : 17 - 29 November 2026
Opening reception : Wed 18 November 2026, 6:00 - 8:30pm

Äs Seen on TV

“One person’s creative glance at 70 years of TV in Australia”

September this year saw the 70th anniversary of the launch of mainstream Television in Australia. When launched, Ross was 6 years of age, living in what was then known as the western suburbs of Sydney.

When his parents eventually saved enough money to buy a small Kriesler, he became immediately mesmerised by what appeared on the screen. Through that small glowing box eventually came cartoons, music, comedy, advertising, news, sport, political events, wars, disasters, triumphs and endless stories from around the world. Television became his window to places he would probably never visit, people he would never meet, and the events that would help shape his understanding of the world.

The exhibition is intentionally interactive. Embedded throughout the works are almost ninety QR codes that provide access to music, archival footage, historical references, background information and additional layers of meaning. These digital portals extend each artwork beyond the canvas, encouraging viewers to explore, question and discover. The QR codes transform the exhibition from a passive viewing experience into an active journey through memory, history and media.

Ross is a Sydney based artist, and despite his age, he claims to be still emerging. He has collected and invested in art for 50 years and painted in his Terrey Hills studio for 6 years. During that short time, he has been a finalist in more than 40 art exhibitions and competitions in Australia, UK and North America, including winning the Clyde Oakley Memorial Prize (NSW), The Ironside Vineyards 25th Annual Spring Obsession Art Competition (USA) and a finalist in the 2023 London Art Biennale. This work was subsequently acquired by the Elton John AIDS Foundation, as shown below.