Souter's Bondi - Exhibition Opening

We warmly invite you to the opening of Souter's Bondi, a new exhibition presented by the Bondi Pavilion Gallery. The evening will include light refreshments and speeches.

Souter’s Bondi returns a beloved local artifact to Bondi Beach, for contemporary viewing. The project celebrates Souter as a pivotal figure of the Art Deco style in Australian illustration. Featuring four of his iconic murals, the exhibition will explore social changes and themes of leisure, gender, local identity, and mythology.

Souter’s renowned murals offer audiences a glimpse into Bondi’s history, originally adorning Australia’s first Surf Life Saving Club clubhouse, generously loaned from the National Maritime Museum. Souter served as the BSBSLC President from 1920-1921 and created these works between 1920 and 1934.

New contemporary art commissions inspired by Souter’s murals will be presented by Billy Bain, Lillian O’Neill, Maz Dixon and Gerwyn Davies, along with a series of works by Paul Blackmore, Anne Zahalka, Samuel Leighton-Dore and Cigdem Aydemir. The exhibition will explore social changes and themes of leisure, gender, local identity, and mythology. By examining Souter’s work through diverse artistic lenses, its content and context is extended and deepened.

Coinciding with celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Art Deco, the project will highlight Souter's key role in the Art Deco Movement. His work articulated Bondi’s identity during pivotal moments in the rapid increase in popularity of beach-going after restrictions on surf bathing were eased in the early 20th century. His work defines the 'Aussie surf lifesaver' through posters and illustrations, and contributed to the legend of the Anzac Soldier.

Souter's Bondi runs from 10 May – 29 June, 2025.