Michael Vale is a Melbourne-based artist whose practice brings together Romantic traditions, absurdist theatre, dark fiction and a mischievous sense of humour. Over several decades, he has developed a distinctive visual language that fuses the grandeur of dramatic landscapes with the unexpected presence of surreal and often comical figures. His paintings and installations are populated with spectral characters, cartoonish costumes, and shadowy, theatrical backdrops that unsettle as much as they amuse. By deliberately disrupting clear narrative readings, Vale creates scenes that hover between the familiar and the uncanny, inviting viewers into a world where meaning is unstable and tone constantly shifts.
A winner of the prestigious Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and a senior lecturer at Monash University for over 20 years, Vale combines painterly skill with a love of storytelling and visual trickery. His richly layered works offer audiences an imaginative space where theatre, literature and art collide.
Image: Michael Vale, Green shiny hat (a shooting star), 2024, oil on linen, © Michael Vale, 2025.
Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery (MPRG)
Civic Reserve
350 Dunns Road
Mornington VIC 3931
T: +61 (3) 5950 1580
E: mprg@mornpen.vic.gov.au
W: www.mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au
Opening Hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 11am – 4pm
Closed Mondays and all Public Holidays
Free entry
The Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV) acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the lands where our office is located, and all Traditional Owners of country throughout Victoria and Australia. We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples enduring traditions and continuing creative cultures. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
We are an LGBTQIA+ friendly organisation that celebrates diversity. We are committed to providing safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive services for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.
