National Gallery of Australia
We’re excited to share that William Mackinnon’s solo exhibition ‘Pheonix’ will be presented at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, opening this Saturday 21st February.
This exhibition reflects the artist’s experiences living and working with Aboriginal communities in the Western Desert and Kimberley regions. As a field officer with Papunya Tula Artists in 2008-2009, Mackinnon witnessed both the extraordinary beauty of Aboriginal Country and the complex realities of remote community life, where isolation and hardship are balanced with cultural vitality and humour.
Presented with permission from Papunya Tula Artists, these paintings represent the artist’s reckoning with his experiences of that time, an empathetic meditation on beauty and survival.
‘Pheonix’ will be on display the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory from 21 February to 24 May 2026.
Pictured: William Mackinnon, Crossroads, 2019, synthetic polymer paint, oil, automotive enamel, glitter on linen, 200 x 300 cm, National Gallery of Australia Collection
We are thrilled to share that Richard Lewer’s 2024 body of work ‘Steve’ has been acquired by the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) and will be presented in the NGA’s collection display in 2025-26 before touring nationally.
Richard Lewer’s ‘Steve’ is a gentle exploration of the complexity of a family coming to terms with a dementia diagnosis. Through animation and a suite of paintings on domestic Laminex tabletops, this exhibition tells the story of man named Steve presented from the perspective of his family as they cope with the effects of his illness. In addition, the artist weaves his own personal story into the work with a group of paintings that look back on personal moments from Lewer’s own life.
Pictured: Richard Lewer’s ‘Steve’, 2023-24, acrylic paint on Laminex tabletops, dimensions variable; Richard Lewer, Steve [video], 2023-24, animation and super-8 footage, 4:39 mins, HD/4K.