Beneath the Surface weaves together shifting perspectives on the presence of water within the Australian landscape. Where some artists look to natural waterways for inspiration, others create more symbolic commentary using water as a metaphor to reveal hidden histories and unseen power structures. Through painting, printmaking, photography and sculptural installation, water is examined as a channel for memory, culture and transformation. 

At the heart of the exhibition is William Robinson’s (1936-2025) monumental painting The rainforest, a key work drawn from the HOTA Collection. Here, the artist depicts the winding Botan Creek in Beechmont, a World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforest located in the Gold Coast Hinterland. 

The exhibition includes artworks on loan from the Jreissati Family Private Collection, alongside artworks from the HOTA Collection. HOTA wishes to thank the Jreissati family for their continued support. 

Image: Lin Onus, Reflections (Barmah Forest) 1995, oil on canvas, The Jreissati Family Private Collection © Lin Onus Estate/Copyright Agency, 2026.

Exhibiting artists

Mary Elizabeth Barron, Dorothy Mary Braund, Glennys Briggs, Rupert Bunny, Byron Coathup, Elisabeth Cummings, Mididingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori, Jamie Holcombe, Honey Long and Prue Stent, Balang Nakurulk, Dorothy Napangardi, Judy Napangardi Watson, Paul Ogier, John Olsen, Lin Onus, Eugenia Raskopoulos, William Robinson, Mark Schaller, Tim Storrier, Brett Whiteley, Fred Williams