News

Modern art’s biggest names arrive at Shepparton Art Museum

By Taylah Baker

Jan 30, 2026

Pablo Picasso, Femme à la résille (Woman in a hairnet), 1938, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Julian and Josie Robertson through the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, 2023.

Just when it seemed Shepparton Art Museum had reached its pinnacle, it reached higher still, set to welcome Picasso, Matisse and other giants of modern art.

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Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki opens at SAM on May 23, bringing some of the most influential names in the art world from the Kiwi cosmopolis to the Goulburn Valley.

The landmark exhibition features 37 esteemed paintings and sculptures, including a major philanthropic gift by New York-based collectors Julian Robertson (1932–2022) and Josie Robertson (1943–2010).

Many of these pieces have never been shown in Australia before.

Drawn from New Zealand’s pre-eminent art collection, the works span nearly a century of artistic innovation, from the late 19th century through to the mid-20th century.

Visitors will encounter masterpieces by Pierre Bonnard, Georges Braque, Paul Cézanne, Salvador Dalí, André Derain, Paul Gauguin, Barbara Hepworth, Fernand Léger, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso.

Facing Modernity explores how these artists smudged the boundaries of tradition and reimagined the world in bold new ways — through sensual nudes, atmospheric brushwork, fractured perspectives and dreamlike imagery.

SAM artistic director Danny Lacy said the exhibition brought together “artists whose visions continue to shape how we understand creativity and human connection today”.

“Facing Modernity offers a rare opportunity to encounter works by the defining figures of modern art,” he said.

“(We) are honoured to share this extraordinary exhibition with Australian audiences.”

The announcement comes just over a month after SAM revealed it would host the Archibald Prize in 2026, further cementing the museum’s growing reputation as a destination for major national and international exhibitions.

Across the Tasman, Facing Modernity has already captivated audiences.

Auckland Art Gallery head of curatorial and learning Sarah Farrar noted that more than 479,000 people had viewed the exhibition over the past two years.

And it’s time to be shared with a wider audience.

“This tour takes them beyond our walls, creating new encounters for audiences who may not normally have the chance to experience them,” Dr Farrar said.

Presented in partnership with Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso opens at SAM on May 23 and runs until September 20.

Below, a preview of the collection.