Major exhibition featuring the works of iconic Australian artist Brett Whiteley to conclude its national tour at Shepparton Art Museum.

An upcoming major national touring exhibition from the Art Gallery of New South Wales will bring the experience of the famed Brett Whiteley Studio to Victorian audiences when it opens at Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) in June 2025. The SAM presentation of Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio will be the only opportunity for Victorian audiences to experience the show before the exhibition concludes its national tour, and the artworks return to New South Wales for the reopening of the Brett Whiteley Studio in Sydney following its major renovation.

Offering audiences around Australia a fascinating insight into the studio practice of one of the nation’s most gifted and revered artists, Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio draws from the collections of the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Brett Whiteley Studio in Sydney to present a selection of works that explore the artist’s prolific career across a diversity of media. Curated by Art Gallery of New South Wales curator, Brett Whiteley Studio, Nick Yelverton, the exhibition features paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography, and ceramics, and considers the role of Whiteley’s studio spaces in informing the scale and content of his works, and how they became an expression and extension of his artistic identity.

Included in the exhibition are some of Whiteley’s most iconic paintings, such as The balcony 2, 1975, and Self portrait in the studio, 1976 (pictured above), alongside early abstract works made in London and New York in the 1960s, and works from Whiteley’s final series, Paris ‘Regard de Côté’. Rarely seen archival photographs from Whiteley’s time in studios across London, New York and Sydney show some of the artworks in various stages of completion, offering a glimpse into his creative world.

Inside the Studio will be a free exhibition with a timed ticketed entry. Visitors to the museum can pre-book tickets to the exhibition online via the SAM website. Ticket sales for the first month of the exhibition are now live, and can be purchased through the SAM website.

Danny Lacy, SAM Artistic Director, says of the exhibition:

“Brett Whiteley was an artist who worked prolifically, and his life and practice continues to inspire awe in new audiences. Inside the Studio brings to life the vibrancy and passion with which Whiteley lived and worked, pairing iconic works that people know and love with incredible behind-the-scenes photos that give rich context to his practice. We can’t wait to unveil this show and welcome people in to explore Whiteley’s world.”

An opening celebration for Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio will be held at SAM on Friday 27 June at 6pm. Registrations to this free event will open on 27 May, with tickets able to be booked through the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/whats-on/upcoming/brett-whiteley-inside-the-studio/

Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio is a touring exhibition from the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Brett Whiteley Studio has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Visions of Australia program. The exhibition will feature in SAM’s Lin Onus Gallery from 28 June to 5 October 2025.

Featured artwork: Brett Whiteley, Self portrait in the studio, 1976, Art Gallery of New South Wales, purchased 1977 © Wendy Whiteley

ENDS

About the Art Gallery of New South Wales:

From its magnificent site in Sydney, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of Australia’s pre-eminent art museums and the state’s leading visual arts institution. Its mission is to serve the widest possible audience as a centre of excellence for the collection, preservation, documentation, interpretation and display of Australian and international art, and a forum for scholarship, art education and the exchange of ideas. The transformation of the Art Gallery – now with two buildings, Naala Badu and Naala Nura, brings together art, architecture and landscape in spectacular new ways with dynamic galleries and seamless connections between indoor and outdoor spaces. Naala Badu is the most significant cultural development to open in Sydney in half a century and is a prominent new destination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture.

About SAM:

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

As a leading Australian regional art museum, SAM showcases its exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways, creating a welcoming, inclusive and engaging space for all visitors.

Recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection and nationally significant collection of Indigenous art, SAM’s programming is designed to be locally relevant and engages with global contemporary ideas. Through its exhibitions, collection, programs and events, SAM creates a place where art helps us to better understand the ancient cultures of this country and contemporary multicultural Australia.