12 SA artists reveal what poverty really looks like in Hidden in Plain Sight at Adelaide Airport

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Image: Bianca Joanna Buliga, Portocala, 2026, courtesy the artist

A powerful new art exhibition has opened at Adelaide Airport, bringing together 12 South Australian artists to explore the often unseen realities of financial hardship, resilience and hope.

Titled Hidden in Plain Sight, the exhibition invites travellers and visitors to reconsider what poverty looks like, who experiences it and the assumptions often made about people facing financial disadvantage.

Presented by Guildhouse in partnership with Adelaide Airport, with support from The Wyatt Trust, the exhibition launched during Anti-Poverty Week and will remain on display until 29 January 2027.

Curated by Maz McGann, the exhibition features works by Abbey Murdoch, Bianca Joanna Buliga, Catherine Fitz-Gerald, Chloe Noble, Emiko Artemis, Gus Clutterbuck, Katherine Grocott, Makeda Duong, Meg Mader, Tabitha Lean, Tieyuan (Vivian) Zhou and Tom Phillips.

Each artist brings their own perspective and lived experience to the exhibition, exploring how poverty can exist alongside creativity, family, ambition, humour and everyday life.

Rather than presenting a single interpretation of financial hardship, the artists worked collaboratively to shape the exhibition through conversations, reflection and shared creative development.

The resulting collection explores everything from childhood memories and family relationships to displacement, uncertainty and the everyday circumstances that can make financial security difficult to achieve.

Guildhouse CEO Beth Neate said the exhibition highlights the important role artists can play in changing perceptions of complex social issues.

“Artists have a remarkable ability to reveal what is often overlooked in everyday life. The works in Hidden in Plain Sight are infused with empathy and authenticity. They have been shared with honesty, dignity and generosity by these twelve artists, encouraging audiences to move beyond assumptions and engage more deeply with the realities of poverty in our community.”

The exhibition’s location is particularly significant. As one of South Australia’s busiest public spaces, Adelaide Airport brings together people from all walks of life, many of whom may be experiencing challenges that are not immediately visible to those around them.

By placing the artworks within this everyday setting, organisers hope to reach audiences who may not ordinarily visit an art gallery, encouraging conversations about poverty beyond traditional arts spaces.

Curator Maz McGann said the exhibition challenges the stereotypes that continue to shape public perceptions of financial hardship.

“Poverty is not only hidden, it is also widely misunderstood. We think we know what poverty looks like, who experiences it and why, but the reality is far more complex.”

The project has also been designed to provide meaningful professional opportunities for participating artists. Each artist receives payment for their involvement, while most exhibited artworks are available for purchase, with all proceeds going directly to the artists.

Supported by The Wyatt Trust, which works to address poverty in South Australia, Hidden in Plain Sight aims to encourage greater understanding of how financial disadvantage affects individuals and communities.

The exhibition opened during Anti-Poverty Week, held nationally from 11 to 17 October, but its message will continue reaching travellers well into the new year.

Hidden in Plain Sight is on display at Adelaide Airport until 29 January 2027.