The late Australian artist ‘wanted to challenge orthodoxy in everything he did’, says Sue Cramer, his wife and co-curator of a new survey of his playful, rigorous career

• Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email

John Nixon, the late Australian avant-garde artist, would sometimes save the shells from his boiled eggs and sprinkle them across blank paint, creating his own starry night. Other times he’d set himself rules, such as painting only in orange for five years. It was 1996 and he was becoming a father, so he wanted a streamlined practice – plus, what other artist was associated with orange?

These anecdotes – just two among many – reflect not only Nixon’s lifelong frugality, idiosyncrasies and strategies, but his steadfast blending of art into everyday life for more than 50 years. His hardline minimalism never feels stifling or overwrought, but rigorous and playful, critical yet fortuitous.

Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning