The Hot City

This piece won first place in The Brisbane Visual Arts Community 2026 art competition in the emerging artist category.

I wanted to capture the heat of the city. I composed this piece from a series of sketches and photos I took around midday in the CBD during summer. Walking around Brisbane in the summer heat has a surreal feel. The reflections make it even brighter and harder to see properly. I wanted to push that idea.

It would be well suited to trendy city office space, cafe bar or modern home

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Michael Gallagher is a multidisciplinary artist working primarily in oil paint. His
practice moves between realism and expressive mark-making across portraiture
and landscape, with occasional surreal and socially reflective themes. A recent
focus on plein air and alla prima painting has expanded his work, emphasising
confidence, immediacy and clarity of observation.