SAM’s Danny Lacy and Gabriella Calandro are proud to see the exhibition come together.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Works by Picasso, Dalí and Matisse that were once displayed in a New York living room are now hanging in Shepparton.
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Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso opens at Shepparton Art Museum on Saturday, May 23, giving locals the chance to see paintings and sculptures never before shown in Australia.
Drawn from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, the exhibition features 37 works by some of the world’s most celebrated modern artists, including Paul Cézanne, Salvador Dalí, Barbara Hepworth, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso.
Arranged across six themes, the exhibition takes visitors through the evolution of modern art, from the soft brushstrokes of Impressionism to the bold lines of Cubism.
Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso features works from Impressionism and Post-Impressionism to Fauvism, Cubism, Surrealism and post-war abstraction.
Photo by
Bree Harding
SAM artistic director Danny Lacy said the exhibition opportunity came through a long-standing connection with former SAM director Kirsten Paisley, who later led Auckland Art Gallery.
“They’re exclusively being shown here, so people who want to see these works while they’re in Australia have to come here,” Mr Lacy said.
“The real beauty of this exhibition is you get to come and see that colour and those brush strokes that you just can’t replicate in a book or on screen … it’s quite unique.
“It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have the history of modern art at your doorstep,” he said.
Many of the works were once part of the private collection of New York philanthropists Julian and Josie Robertson.
The Robertsons donated the collection to Auckland Art Gallery, which had a strong focus on ensuring children and young people could engage with the artworks.
Head of engagement Gabriella Calandro said SAM was carrying this focus through to its exhibition by including things such as the Petit Picasso Studio for Kids art sessions, school excursions and simplified captions on each piece.
“We have an art trail that’s specifically designed to get kids to engage with different artworks, we also have an audio guide that’s been narrated by local children, so you can scan that on the way in,” Ms Calandro said.
“It’s an opportunity for young people to experience a museum of this calibre in their backyard.”
There is something for adults too, with lectures, exhibition tours and special Bar SAM Soirées held throughout the four months the exhibition will be showing.
Over 55 local businesses are also embracing the exhibition with art-inspired food, shopping and experiences across the region.
The Eat, Play, Stay and Shop guide details what businesses have on offer, from ticket-holder discounts to Picasso parmis and decorate-your-own donut experiences.
Overall, Ms Calandro said the exhibition was helping “put Shepparton on the map”.
“This show is bringing Shepp alive,” she said.
The Artworks from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki are on display for the first time in Australia.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Mr Lacy said the exhibition also demonstrated SAM’s ability to host major international shows.
“We’ve been working on this show for well over a year, there’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to be able to make a show like this happen.”
He said he hoped people walked away from the exhibition feeling inspired, motivated and proud that a show of this calibre was in Shepparton.
“Come and see some of the most famous artists that have ever lived,” Mr Lacy said.
Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso runs from May 23 to September 20, with opening hours extended to 10am to 4pm every day and 7pm on Fridays during this time.
Greater Shepparton residents can purchase tickets at concession prices, with multi-passes also available.
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