Max Ballard is a painter from South Australia exploring perceptions of spaces through contemporary realism.

Devoid of figures, his work invites audiences to form narratives based on their own memories of similar spaces. The selection of ordinary subject matter, dishes, bins, chairs, kitchens and hallways position the viewer in moments of everyday life.

Atmospheric lighting and loose brushwork are combined with underlying grid structures to create realistic representations with a sense the surreal. It is this sense of surreality that is utilised to explore memory, nostalgia and personal connection to spaces.

Trained in graphic design and with a background in graffiti, his work is attuned to the way in which compositional structure effects interpretation of images. Alongside his realism practice, he frequently experiments with abstract forms as a way of freely exploring compositions, which are often applied in his mural practice.

Max Ballard has been a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize (2026), Tattersall’s Art Prize (2026) and the Gallery M Contemporary Art Prize (2022, 2023).