Brett Whiteley Australia

Brett Whiteley could be ambivalent about Australia. While he disliked its parochialism, anti-intellectualism and conservative politics, he was also captivated by its urban and natural landscapes, unique wildlife, and Indigenous history and culture. He would return to distinctive Australian themes throughout his career, often seeking to articulate or reconcile his seemingly contradictory thoughts and feelings about his country of birth.

This exhibition brings together artworks that the widely travelled Whiteley produced while he was in Australia between the mid 1950s and the early 1990s. The subjects of these paintings, drawings, prints, collages and sculptures range from Sydney’s iconic harbour and beaches to the culturally significant rock formations of Kata Tjuta in the Northern Territory.

Seldom-seen works are included from the series The Olgas and Native rose, alongside images of the Central West region of NSW, Marulan, the Glass House Mountains, Wategos Beach and Thirroul, as well as Sydney and its surrounds.