20 May 2026
Zahrina Robertson has spent her career in art never quite fitting in. The Northbridge based artist, whose works have featured in international exhibitions and earned recognition, has channeled a lifetime of creative outsider-ism into her new book: How to Be an Art Snob… Even If You’re Not One!
Robertson’s journey into the elite world of international art was anything but convertional. Coming from a creative family, she spent years working in branding and marketing for luxury giant LVMH before a “sea change” led her to a more artistic direction. “I literally became an accidental artist,” Robertson explains.
Her rise in the art world was meteoric. After posting her work on Instagram, she was discovered by a New York gallery in Tribeca. “I was asked by a New York Art Gallery to fly over there and exhibit,” she says. “I felt like a bit of a fish out of water, a bit of an imposter.”
Despite the nerves, the exhibition was a success, leading to high-profile commissions. “I ended up on a Zoom call with Brooke Shields… I created a piece for her and then I went on and created a piece for Tony Robbins,” Robertson recalls. Her success reached a pinnacle when her art was featured on the iconic screens of Times Square.
It was during these international travels that the seeds for her book were sown. Robertson began performing “silent research” in galleries, observing how everyday visitors interacted with high art. “I was watching and observing in art galleries, what people were thinking and saying,” she says. “You could almost feel that their head was spinning… How do I understand what I’m looking at?”
She realised that many felt the same intimidation she once did. “I thought there’s got to be a synergy here about, I can’t be the only one feeling awkward,” Robertson explains. “I wrote this book for everyone who’s ever felt that way — because the art world belongs to all of us.”
In How to Be an Art Snob, Robertson deconstructs the industry with a focus on human behavior rather than dry theory. “It’s not technical terms, it’s behavior,” she notes. “I have deconstructed the entire art industry in a witty, accessible, fun way.”
The book features a quiz to help readers find their “art snob style,” helping them decode their own aesthetic and personality. Robertson’s mission is to make art accessible in an increasingly automated world. “The more we’re going into the tech world and getting lost in all the AI of our world… the more we’re going to be connecting to the arts,” she says.
Robertson hopes to empower readers. “Art should move you — full stop,” she insists. “What matters is how it makes you feel when you walk into a room.”
How to Be an Art Snob… Even If You’re Not One! launches on May 28th at the Mosman Art Gallery. Tickets and more info: https://shorturl.at/0MUHL
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