David Roche Gallery

Salon des Refusés offers insight into contemporary art practices, different approaches to portraiture and responses to the Australian landscape. With artists including Joe Whyte, Robyn Sweaney, John R Walker, Jun Chen, and Noel Thurgate, this exhibition celebrates some of the country's most talked about contemporary portraiture and landscape work.

Salon des Refusés
Until 24 October
📍 David Roche Gallery
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South Australian artist, Robert Hannaford’s ‘Dr Guy Rees’ is one of the many exceptional portraits featured in ‘Salon des Refusés’. Robert Hannaford painted this portrait in homage to his oncologist, who diagnosed and operated on Robert’s tongue cancer 20 years ago. Discover more personal stories at Salon des Refusés, showing until 24 October.

It was a privilege to hear from twelve-time Archibald Prize finalist, Tsering Hannaford and Dr Guy Rees at our Tea & Tour of Salon des Refusés this morning. Hearing two perspectives on portraiture made for such a special event! Tsering shared insights into the art and process of portrait painting, while Dr Rees offered his personal experience from the other side of the canvas, as the subject of Robert Hannaford’s portrait. The portrait took eight days to complete, with three hours of sitting each day, allowing plenty of time for conversation and connection. Thank you to everyone who joined us. Explore the remarkable portraits featured in Salon des Refusés 2026, on display until 24 October.

Those who have taken a tour of Fermoy House may be familiar with the remarkable sand paintings displayed in the kitchen and hallway by German-British artist Benjamin Zobel.

Today, on Zobel’s birthday, we’re highlighting one of his exquisite works in the kitchen: Sand Picture of Percherons in harness.

Zobel perfected his skills as an accomplished cake decorator in his family business before studying miniature painting in Amsterdam. After moving to London, he became a ‘table decker’ in the Prince of Wales’ household and Windsor Castle. The custom of 'table decking' was introduced by George III and involved decorating the table with silver trays containing ephemeral designs with coloured sugar, which would be swept away at the end of the evening. He was also entrusted with creating pictures in coloured sugar to decorate tarts served at royal banquets.

He then transferred these skills into making more permanent images by gluing coloured sand onto wooden panels, using a folded playing card to drizzle the sand grain by grain. Discover this and many more unique and exquisite works of art up close on a tour of Fermoy House.

The Den is where David spent a lot of his time at home. He enjoyed watching Antiques Roadshow, surrounded by his dog paintings and Staffordshire figures, and from his armchair could watch Kennel staff coming and going through the front gate. It was often said that if you were from the ‘dog world’, this is the room you might be invited to join him in.

One of the most prominent dog paintings in the collection is this large painting above the fireplace, Pointer at Sunset, c.1900, by Maud Earl. The painting is recognised as a perfect example of an English pointer, described as ‘a series of graceful curves culminating in a bee sting tail’. Maud Earl was taught to paint by her father, George Earl, and quickly became known for her talent in capturing pure-bred dogs, including those belonging to Edward VII, the Duchess of Newcastle and Queen Victoria. Her work is a perfect amalgamation of David Roche’s two loves, beautiful dogs and beautiful art. Discover more about this on your tour of Fermoy House.

Thank you to everyone who joined us last night for Ekaterina Heath's intriguing talk on the life and work of Maria Feodorovna, a woman who shaped a garden and quietly influenced an empire.

If you're looking for more fascinating stories, be sure to explore our upcoming events calendar. There are only a few tickets remaining for the lecture on 'Jewels of the Regency' by Adrian Dickens. Book now to avoid missing out. https://www.rochegallery.com.au/events/calendar/

The weather is warming up, making it the perfect time to enjoy the outdoor setting at David Roche Café. Open from 10:00am to 4:00pm Tuesday to Saturday with delicious coffee, breakfast and lunch options.
We hope to see you there!

Mary Tonkin’s striking ‘Arachne, Kalorama 2026’ featured in Salon des Refusés is homage to those wonderful Louise Bourgeois sculptures of spiders. “Standing within its reach, this broken branch from a Eucalyptus obliqua - Messmate Stringybark reminded me of their entrancing, menacing presence, their beautiful capacity to lure and entangle.” See more exceptional landscape works at Salon des Refusés. .tonkin

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Mary Tonkin ‘Arachne, Kalorama 2026’ oil on linen 278 x 224cm

‘Salon des Refusés’ was initiated by in 1992 in response to the large number of works entered in the Archibald and Wynne Prizes that were not selected for display in the official exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Providing an alternative lens ‘Salon des Refusés 2026’ offers art lovers in Adelaide a rare privilege to experience a high-calibre national showcase featuring over 50 portrait and Australian landscape paintings. See ‘Salon des Refusés 2026’ on display until 24 October. 📸