The Antipodeans were a collective of Australian modern artists, known for their advocacy of figurative art and opposition to abstract expressionism. The group, which included seven painters from Melbourne and art historian Bernard Smith, was active in the late 1950s. Despite staging only a single exhibition in Melbourne in August 1959, the Antipodeans gained international recognition.
The group's members were Charles Blackman, Arthur Boyd, David Boyd, John Brack, Robert Dickerson, John Perceval, and Clifton Pugh, with Smith compiling. The group's stance was controversial at the time, with some viewing it as a conservative reaction against international art trends. Despite this, the Antipodeans' influence extended beyond Australia, with their works included in a 1961 exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in London.
