Angus McGrath is Sydney-based and makes work which sees him inhabit modes across writer, performer, and artist. 
He is interested in the cinematic, violence, subculture, the limits of knowledge and meaning, failure, and spookiness.
Here is his Instagram.


EDUCATION
Masters of Fine Arts by Research, supervised by Snack Syndicate, UNSW, Sydney (2021 to 2023)
Bachelor of Art History and Curatorial Studies with First Class Honours, ANU, Canberra (2014 to 2017)


PUBLICATIONS
Essay, Sydney Review of Books (upcoming)
Essay, Garden Reflexxx presents Music film program at Sydney Opera House (2025)
Essay, “Cruising the Closet”, Australasian Journal of American Studies 43.2 (2024)
Essay, Marcus Whale’s “Ecstasy” album booklet (2024)
Essay, “TLDR”, Overshare Multiplex Film Festival, Melbourne (2023)
Prose, “Script for a Film Called Love Is The Devil”, SCAB Mag 13 (2023)
Poem, “Your Cast Will Tire”, Australian Poetry Journal 12.2 (2023)
Ficto-criticism, “An Actor Prepares”, Runway Journal (2023)
Essay, “Twenty-First Century Dolls: The Valley of Vox Lux”, Golden Age Cinema and Bar, Sydney (2023)
Essay, Tim Hardy’s “Helium” exhibition publication, no more poetry (2022)
Essay, “Bodies Alone Together”, un. Magazine 15.2 (2021)
Poem, “Portal of Rings”, Cordite 103 (2021)
Poem, Marcus Whale’s “The Hunger” album booklet (2021)
Poem, “A Possible Motive in Peninsula Fires”, no more poetry’s no no no Mag 1 (2021)


EXHIBITIONS AND PERFORMANCES
Performance, “SAMHAIN”, Blue Void Hallowe’en at PACT, Sydney (2025)
Performance, “Eternal Strobing Death”, Blue Void at Red Rattler, Sydney (2024)
Solo exhibition, “CONSTANT NOTHING”, Brand X CoSCS you’re okay Gallery, Sydney (2023)
Collaborative live score, “The Angelic Conversation” with Marcus Whale, Pink Flamingo Cinema, Sydney (2023)
Collaborative exhibition, “[Sheep]” with Bryan Foong, KINGS Gallery, Melbourne (2023)
Group exhibition, “Bodies Wthout Organs” curated by Anja Loughhead, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra (2023)
Group exhibition, “Horror Is Nothing Other Than Reality” curated by Tesha Malott, Verge Gallery, Sydney (2023)
Collaborative exhibition,  “Far from heaven” with Bryan Foong, Firstdraft Gallery (2023)
Performance lecture, “Rimbaud and River”, Queer Powerpoint, Biennale of Sydney at Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney (2022)
Collaborative exhibition, “All that heaven allows”, Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney (2022)
Performance lecture, “Dogboy”, Writing + Concepts, Melbourne (2021)
Performance, “Tomb of Illusions”, Liveworks: Livedreams at Carriageworks, Sydney (2021)
Group exhibition, “Held” curated by Gigi De Lacy, AD Space, Sydney (2020)
Group exhibition, “Tainted Love” curated by David Broker, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra (2019)
Solo exhibition, “Semiotics Club”, PhotoAcces, Canberra (2019)
Solo exhibition, “Car”, Tributary Projects, Canberra (2018)
Collaborative exhibition, “Beat” with Peter Maloney, Tributary Projects, Canberra (2017)


MUSIC
McGrath makes solo electronic music under the name California Girls, and has completed three albums under this name. The most recent, “Wheel of Ashes”, was released on November 13, 2025 and was FBi Radio’s Album of the Week. His previous album, “Beat Boy”, was released in 2020 and nominated for Record of the Year at the FBi Radio SMAC Awards. His first album, “Desire”, was released in 2016. California Girls has performed at Dark Mofo in Hobart (2019 and 2025), Rising Festival in Melbourne (2025), House of Mince’s Unknown Pleasures Festival for Mardi Gras in Sydney (2023), and Soft Centre at Carriageworks for Vivid Festival in Sydney (2022). He has supported international touring artists across the country including Molly Nilsson, The Garden, and Hot Chip. With years of experience in countless bands, McGrath is currently the drummer of post-punk band Perfect Actress, who have performed in Sydney, Melbourne, Wollongong, Newcastle, and Canberra.
McGrath has also performed as a session drummer twice at Phoenix Central Park, first for Melbourne/London rapper Teether, then for Greek/Berlin experimental pop singer Abyss X, both in 2023.


ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE AND AWARDS
Librettist, “Atopia” by Marcus Whale, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Sydney (upcoming)
Introduction, screening of the Derek Jarman film “Blue”, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney (2025)
Performer and sound operator, “Ecstasy” by Marcus Whale, Liveworks at Carriageworks, Sydney, and Rising at The Substation, Melbourne (2024 and 2025)
Recipient, The Australasian Journal of American Studies Postgraduate Essay Prize (2024)
Facilitator, “Cruising 40 Years” public reading group, Inner West Libraries’ Reading Between the Lines program, Leichhardt Library, Sydney (2024)
Writer and director, “Unmade Bed” short film (2024)
Sound designer, Force Majeure Theatre Company’s “IDK” show, Carriageworks, Sydney, and Arts House, Melbourne (2023)
Score composer, “The Waves” short film by Emma McManus (2023)
Recipient, Kudos Emerging Writer Award, UNSW, Sydney (2022)
Script supervisor,  “Boléro: A Tale of Tech Support”  by Sophie Penkethman-Young, Verge Gallery, Sydney (2021)
Presenter and producer, “Sleepless in Sydney” and “Movies Movies Movies”, FBi Radio, Sydney (2020 to 2025)
Participant, Melbourne International Film Festival’s Critics Campus (2020)
Studio tenant, Firstdraft Gallery’s short term Rozelle Studio program, Sydney (2019 to 2020)
Participant, Queer Development Program, Performance Space, Sydney (2019)