Sean Whelan's MUST SEE solo exhibition, "Magical Thinking," is currently on view at Outre Gallery in Melbourne, Australia until April 12th, 2026. These are personally some of the most exciting, beautiful paintings I've this year.

Sean Whelan is an Australian artist based in Hobart, Tasmania, known for his vibrant acrylic paintings that blend figuration, symbolism, and theatrical design. His hyper-colored, surreal compositions draw from influences ranging from 17th-century European Baroque painting to the Japanese Superflat movement.

Magical thinking is a familiar habit: the tendency to turn experiences into a story, reshaping something complex so meaning becomes easier to hold.

In this body of work, I draw on this idea to depict a series of staged scenes. Figures wear masks and costumes that assign them roles – preparing for rituals, dancing, performing music and playing out transformative rites.

Some look joyful, others reluctant, grotesque or monstrous. And while there is an underlying absurdity to these activities, the figures are invested in what they are doing. The performances are sincere, even when the logic behind them is unclear.

Fantasy offers a promise – a role, a decisive action and the sense that something will be resolved. Magical Thinking grew from an interest in how easily this structure is adopted, rehearsed, and believed. - Sean Whelan