Margaret Worth (born 1944) is an Australian contemporary artist whose practice encompasses painting, sculpture, and site-specific public art. She is recognized for her contributions to the development of hard-edge abstraction in Australia during the 1960s and her later work in integrated environmental design.
Born in Adelaide, South Australia, Worth studied at the South Australian School of Art, where she was a student of the abstract painter Sydney Ball. Her early work focused on geometric abstraction, characterized by flat planes of color and precise, "hard" edges. Among her most notable early contributions is the Wave series (1967–1968), which utilized rhythmic, undulating forms to explore optical movement and spatial perception.
In 1969, Worth moved to New York City to study at Columbia University, where she earned a Master of Fine Arts. During her residence in the United States, her artistic focus expanded to include modular sculpture and experimental materials. This period marked a transition from two-dimensional painting toward three-dimensional and environmental investigations.
Upon returning to Australia, Worth’s practice evolved to emphasize the intersection of art, architecture, and landscape. She became a significant practitioner of public art, frequently collaborating with urban planners and architects to design large-scale installations and functional elements for public spaces. Her work in this field focuses on the relationship between human experience and the built or natural environment.
Margaret Worth’s work is represented in several major Australian institutional collections, including the National Gallery of Australia (Canberra), the Art Gallery of South Australia (Adelaide), and the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne). In 2017, her contributions to Australian art were highlighted in the exhibition "Everywhere Experienced" at the University of South Australia, which surveyed her decades-long career.
