National Gallery of Art and National Gallery of Victoria Launch Landmark Global Cultural Exchange
The National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, D.C., and the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne, Australia, have announced a major cultural partnership intended to facilitate the global exchange of key works from both leading institutions’ permanent collections. This collaboration aims to create new opportunities for worldwide audiences to experience defining works of art that reflect these respective cultures
The ambitious partnership will launch with The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous Art, the largest-ever international exhibition of Indigenous Australian art. The exhibition will premiere at the National Gallery of Art on November 15, 2025, and is scheduled to tour North America from 2025 through 2027.
Unprecedented Showcase of Indigenous Masterpieces
The exhibition, drawn exclusively from the NGV’s world-leading collection, features nearly 200 works by more than 130 artists. It charts the evolution and breadth of Indigenous art, spanning from the late 19th century to the present, and includes iconic masterpieces, many of which have never before left Australia.
Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art, expressed enthusiasm for the exchange, noting the upcoming opportunity to share the NGA’s “storied American art collection” with audiences across the world in 2027. She added, “We are very pleased to be able to bring these important Indigenous Australian artworks to US audiences, many for the very first time”.
Tony Ellwood AM, director of the National Gallery of Victoria, emphasized the importance of the exhibition, stating that many of the traveling works are “globally recognized as undisputed masterpieces”. He noted that this volume of nationally significant works has never before toured internationally, making it a “truly rare opportunity for North American audiences”.
The Hon. Jacinta Allan, Premier of the Australian State of Victoria, praised the exhibition for celebrating the “rich histories and cultures of Victoria’s First Peoples” and sharing the stories of the oldest living culture in history.
Exhibition Highlights and Themes
The Stars We Do Not See introduces visitors to a wide range of customary forms and styles, including ochre bark paintings, sculpture, jewelry, experimental weavings, and the conceptual map paintings of the Central and Western Deserts (sometimes referred to as “dot paintings”). It also incorporates contemporary work from new-media artists, featuring groundbreaking pieces in neon, sound, video, and photography.
A major highlight is Emily Kam Kngwarray’s magnum opus, Anwerlarr Anganenty (Big Yam Dreaming) (1995). This icon of the NGV Collection is Kngwarray’s largest painting, measuring over nine by twenty-six feet, and represents the underground network of roots and yams. This immense canvas, which is drawn in a single, continuous line, has never before been seen in North America. The exhibition title itself is inspired by the late senior Yolŋu artist Gulumbu Yunupiŋu (1943–2012), known as “Star Lady”. Her intricate works, a selection of which will be featured, use crosses to represent visible stars and a dense network of dots to symbolize the stars that are unseen. The exhibition features works spanning the Australian continent, reflecting the distinct visual iconographies of the more than 250 Indigenous nations. Urban-based contemporary artists are also
represented, including influential figures like Brook Andrew, Richard Bell, Maree Clarke, and Reko Rennie.
Curated by Myles Russell-Cook, Artistic Director and CEO of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) and former Senior Curator at the NGV, the collection was assembled specifically for North American audiences. Russell-Cook noted that while no exhibition can fully capture the complexity of Australian Indigenous art, these works represent 65,000 years of culture and aim to foster “greater connection and understanding of First Peoples culture and art”.
North American Tour Schedule
The exhibition is organized by the National Gallery of Art and the National Gallery of Victoria, in association with its three tour partners. Bank of America is the North America Tour Sponsor.
Following its premiere in Washington, D.C., the exhibition is scheduled to visit three other locations:
- National Gallery of Art, Washington: November 15, 2025–March 1, 2026
- Denver Art Museum, Colorado: April 19–July 26, 2026
- Portland Art Museum, Oregon: September 5, 2026–January 3, 2027
- Peabody Essex Museum, Massachusetts: February 28–June 13, 2027
In reciprocity for this cultural collaboration, the National Gallery of Art will send an exhibition of major works from its renowned collection of modern and contemporary American art to the NGV in 2027.
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