65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art

Last week, Melbourne Forum members were privileged to experience a private tour of 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art at the Potter Museum of Art, led by Senior Curator Judith Ryan AM and Associate Curator Shanysa McConville.

The first exhibition to be held in the reimagined gallery, it brings together over 400 works, some rarely seen, spanning Indigenous art traditions that predate colonial times, through to contemporary works and new commissions.

Members were enthralled by the extensive bark painting collections and the vibrant and culturally significant contemporary works on display. They were also moved by the displays confronting colonial legacies and the fraught history of scientific racism and eugenics.

This is an incredibly important exhibition, and we are so fortunate to have it here in Melbourne. Be sure to visit before it closes on 22 November.

Our heartfelt thanks to Associate Provost and Distinguished Professor Marcia Langton AO for facilitating this wonderful tour for us.