Save the DATE October 18, 2025 – March 1, 2026
Mark your calendar for this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition of modern and contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and design.
This eye-opening exhibition introduces North American audiences to the diverse and distinct visual iconographies of Indigenous Australia, which is made up of more than 250 distinct Indigenous nations.
Explore this rich and living history of creativity through over 200 works made by more than 130 artists. Drawn exclusively from the collection of Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria, The Stars We Do Not See offers a rare opportunity to experience some of the most significant examples of modern and contemporary Australian Indigenous art. Charting watershed moments in Indigenous art from the late 19th century to the present, this exhibition reveals a rich history of creativity that predates the arrival of the British.
See the work of trailblazing painters including Anmatyerr superstar Emily Kam Kngwarray and Senior Yolŋu artist Gulumbu Yunupiŋu (after who the exhibition is titled) along with contemporary innovators Brook Andrew, Destiny Deacon, and Betty Muffler. Witness Australian Indigenous art in all its forms, from ochre bark paintings and experimental weavings to immersive sound and video art and powerful photographs.
Organization
Organized by the National Gallery of Victoria and the National Gallery of Art, Washington in association with the Denver Art Museum, the Portland Art Museum, the Peabody Essex Museum, and the Royal Ontario Museum.
The exhibition is curated by Myles-Russell-Cook, senior curator of Australian and First Nations art, National Gallery of Victoria. At the National Gallery of Art, the exhibition is coordinated by E. Carmen Ramos, chief curatorial and conservation officer, and Lynn Matheny, deputy head and associate curator of interpretation.
Other venues
Denver Art Museum, Colorado, April 19–July 26, 2026
Portland Art Museum, Oregon
Peabody Essex Museum, Massachusetts
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto
