Art & Artists

About the Collection

The National Gallery’s evolving collection of over 155,000 works of art, created by more than 15,000 artists, includes the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. The collection represents the whole of Australian art, modern art worldwide, particularly from Europe and America and art from across Asia and the Pacific.

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deep coloured building by night

Highlights

Exhibitions

  • Exhibition

    Cressida Campbell

    A coloured illustrative print of Japanese Hydrangeas

    24 Sep 2022 – 19 Feb 2023

    The survey exhibition will present the depth and virtuosity of Campbell's work.

  • Project

    Project 2: Kara Walker

    A portrait of the artist Kara Walker - an African American woman standing against a black and white background of her painting. Books and art making materials in the foreground

    13 Aug – 5 Feb 2023

    Project 2: Kara Walker is the first monographic presentation of Walker’s art to be held in Australia.

  • First Nations

    The Aboriginal Memorial

    A wide-angle photograph showing an installation of 200 painted hollow logs standing upright in a large gallery space. The surrounding walls are painted in a dark colour and the logs are positioned on a navy plinth shaped to resemble both sides of a river bank.

    The Aboriginal Memorial is an installation of 200 hollow log coffins commemorating all First Nations people who, since 1788, have lost their lives.

  • Exhibition

    Australian Art

    Ongoing

    In recognition of the National Gallery’s 40th anniversary, this major display tells wide-ranging and complex stories of Australian art.

Projects & Initiatives

Linda Marrinon in UAP foundry working on Woman in jumpsuit, 2022, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, Commissioned with the generous support of Art Makers. Photos courtesy of UAP.

Art Makers x National Gallery

Sarah Lucas, TITTIPUSSIDAD, 2018, installation view, Project 1: Sarah Lucas, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 2021 © the artist

The Project Series

A woman is sitting in font of a large wall of many portraits in a large gallery space

Installation view of Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now – Part 1

Know My Name

A large crowd watches two large hot-air balloons in the shape of skywhales float above the ground in the early morning

Patricia Piccinini's Skywhale, 2013, gift of anonymous donor 2019, donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program; and Skywhalepapa 2020, commissioned with the assistance of The Balnaves Foundation 2019, purchased 2020 © Patricia Piccinini at their first flight together in Canberra, 2021

The Balnaves Contemporary Series

Photograph of conservator and director gesturing to painting under restoration

Conservator David Wise working on Jackson Pollock, Blue poles, 1952, purchased 1973 © Pollock-Krasner Foundation. ARS/Copyright Agency

Conserving Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles

Artist Interviews

Talks & Lectures /  Video

Artists in Conversation: Micky Allan
Know My Name

A video still of a woman standing above an artwork

Published 11 February 2021

Hear from leading Australian artist Micky Allan in conversation with curator Elspeth Pitt.

Auslan Interpretation Closed Captions
Talks & Lectures /  Video

Artist talk: Reko Rennie
Defying Empire: 3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial

A video still of a car driving through the desert

Published 2017

Project /  Video

Joan Ross: Collector's Paradise
Know My Name

Video still of light projection onto National Gallery building

Published 08 April 2021

In Collector's Paradise artist Joan Ross asks us to think about museums as places that keep, acquire, and classify objects.

Talks & Lectures /  Video

Artists in Conversation: Barbara Campbell, Narelle Jubelin and r e a

A video still of a woman looking at an artwork

Published 2020

First Nations /  Video

This Place: Artist Series – Yvonne Koolmatrie

Video still of artwork up close.

Published 24 February 2020

Master weaver Yvonne Koolmatrie is passionate about preserving the near lost art of Ngarrindjeri weaving.

    • Related

    On tour
    On tour

    The Gallery’s touring exhibition program brings works from the national collection to communities around Australia and the world.

    National Gallery Exhibitory History
    National Gallery Exhibitory History

    View the National Gallery's archive of past exhibitions.

    On now
    On now

    See current and upcoming exhibitions on display at the Gallery.

    Publications

    20 multicoloured knitted books in a line

    Learn more about the National Gallery's exhibition catalogues and digital publications