Australian contemporary artist Anthony Lister has been formally refused bail after he allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted multiple women, including tattooing one of them without her consent.

The Sydney-based painter was arrested on Tuesday at his home in Darlinghurst, where the assaults allegedly took place on separate occasions between 2015 and 2018.

Three of the four women were art students.

Detectives executed two search warrants at artist Anthony Lister's Darlinghurst home and an industrial space at Marrickville, seizing four replica pistols, knuckle dusters and a number of prohibited drugs. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Mr Lister, 40, has been charged with a number of offences including five counts of sexual intercourse without consent, using an intoxicating substance to commit an indictable offence and causing grievous bodily harm to a person with intent.