National Interests: Australian Art in the 20th Century

Hervey Bay Regional Gallery and the National Gallery of Australia present National Interests: Australian Art in the 20th Century.

This exhibition explores the cultural legacy of Australian Modernism in the 20th century, pairing artworks from the Hervey Bay Regional Gallery Art Collection with significant works from Australia’s national collection.

Developing from the nationalism surrounding Federation, a desire for a distinctly Australian identity was a central concern for Australian artists working in the early 20th century.

Australian Modernism as an artistic movement engaged with this new national mythology, reflecting shifting identities and a distinctive break from the aesthetic conventions of the “old world”. These works of art reflect a redefined Australian perspective inspired by movement, spontaneity, and emotive expression.

Featuring works made from 1936 to 1997, each grouping of works of art acts as an entry point into a thread of Australian art history. Considered together, the works in National Interests paint a picture of Australia’s search for a national identity in a rapidly changing cultural landscape.

Read the full announcement here.

National Interests includes works on long term loan from the National Gallery of Australia with support from the Australian Government as part of Sharing the National Collection. #ArtAcrossAustralia