8 September 2026

FACING MODERNITY: DEGAS TO PICASSO MUST CLOSE NEXT WEEK

ONLY AT SHEPPARTON ART MUSEUM UNTIL 20 SEPTEMBER 2026

Only a few days remain to experience Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki at the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), with the exhibition closing on Sunday 20 September.

Featuring 37 extraordinary paintings and sculptures tracing the evolution of modern art, from Impressionism through to Cubism, Surrealism and post-war abstraction, Facing Modernity guides audiences on a comprehensive journey through nearly a century of artistic rebellion, revolution, and invention. Starring rarely-seen masterpieces by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Salvador Dalí, Paul Cezanne, Barbara Hepworth, and more, Facing Modernity presents the sole opportunity for Australian audiences to intimately encounter one of the most impactful eras in art history, recounted through an exemplary grouping of works by the period’s most significant figures.

Drawn from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, the selected works make their only Australian appearance in Shepparton, returning to their New Zealand home at the conclusion of the exhibition.

This major international exhibition includes works from the significant Robertson gift to Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, offering a rare glimpse into one of the most important private collections of modern art. From the atmospheric brushwork of Impressionism to the bold experimentation of Cubism and the dreamlike visions of Surrealism, Facing Modernity charts how artists reshaped the way we see the world.

Danny Lacy, SAM Artistic Director, says:

“We encourage art-lovers from near and far to enjoy Facing Modernity before it closes on 20 September. It’s been a real pleasure to host the collection here in Shepparton—the curation of the show brings the history and energy of the modern period to life, and the intimacy of the space allows you to encounter magnificent works by Dalí, Picasso, Degas, Cezanne, Hepworth, and Braque up close and in great detail. To experience this kind of artwork in the tranquillity of regional Victoria is a delight and a rarity—I urge people not to miss this moment.”

Visitors to Facing Modernity also have the opportunity to experience the Archibald Prize 2026 at SAM, which recently opened at the museum for the exclusive Victorian leg of its national tour.

Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso is presented in partnership with Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and is on display at Shepparton Art Museum, Shepparton, Victoria until 20 September 2026. Tickets are available from sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

ENDS

About SAM:

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is located on Yorta Yorta Country, Shepparton, Victoria.

Serving as a dynamic cultural and community hub for the Greater Shepparton region, SAM is one of Australia’s leading regional art museums and the newest purpose-built collecting institution in regional Victoria. SAM houses one of the nation’s most significant collections of Australian ceramics and regional holdings of South Eastern Indigenous Art, and presents an inclusive museum experience that inspires creativity, forges meaningful connections, and celebrates the unique stories of our region.

Through its programs, events, collection, and temporary exhibitions, SAM creates opportunities for artists and creatives to engage audiences with contemporary ideas and issues, allowing the stories of our country’s ancient cultures and contemporary multicultural Australia to be discovered and exchanged.

About Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki 

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, part of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, is the largest and most inspiring visual arts experience in Aotearoa New Zealand. Its collection and loan collections currently number over 18,000 artworks, spanning major holdings of New Zealand historic, modern and contemporary art. Alongside outstanding works by Māori and Pacific artists, they represent significant international painting, sculpture and print collections.