The Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne is poised to reopen its doors in grand style with its ambitious exhibition, 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art.
Set to debut during Reconciliation Week on 30 May 2025 and run until 23 November, this monumental showcase offers an unparalleled exploration of Indigenous art, its cultural significance, and its overdue recognition in Australia’s creative story.
Curated by Marcia Langton AO, Judith Ryan AM, and Shanysa McConville, the exhibition will highlight more than 450 significant works, drawing from the University’s collection as well as 193 pieces loaned from institutions and private collectors across Australia. The focus of the show is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in all its brilliance while addressing the long shadow of colonialism. It seeks to highlight how Indigenous art has ascended to global prominence in recent decades, challenging past attitudes that sought to exclude it from the mainstream fine art canon.
Langton, as a leading advocate, has positioned the exhibition as a critical reflection on the late and often reluctant acceptance of Indigenous art within Australia’s artistic framework. Her curatorial vision emphasises the global resonance of Indigenous creativity, viewing this as one of Australia’s most profound contributions to the international art world.
A Showcase of Iconic and Rare Masterpieces
The artwork on display spans a dizzying range of styles, mediums, and histories. Pieces by celebrated makers such as William Barak, Albert Namatjira, and Emily Kam Kngwarray demonstrate the sheer diversity and ingenuity of Indigenous creativity. Visitors will also encounter groundbreaking work by contemporary artists, including Destiny Deacon, Yhonnie Scarce, and No?girr?a Marawili.
Rare cultural objects and seldom-seen works from the University of Melbourne’s own collection will stand alongside nationally significant pieces brought together from 77 lenders, creating a rich tapestry of storytelling across generations. The exhibition traces pivotal developments in Indigenous art, honouring longstanding traditions while celebrating the innovation that has come to define more recent movements and forms of expression.
Six Bold New Commissions
Adding to the vibrancy of the exhibition are six newly commissioned works from Australia’s leading Indigenous artists. Brett Leavy will bring audiences back to Wurundjeri land in 1834 with a stunning new-media animation, Virtual Narrm 1834, created in collaboration with Wurundjeri elders. Julie Gough, meanwhile, will turn a lens on the prolific and unsettling reproduction of plaster busts of Nununi leaders Wurati and Trukanini, echoing broader themes of cultural displacement.
Other commissions include an expansive collaboration between Betty Muffler and Maringka Burton focusing on healing country after the traumas of British atomic testing, and monumental sculptural works by Lorraine Connelly-Northey, created using reclaimed industrial materials. Sandra Aitken’s eel traps and Vicki West’s bull kelp water carriers further underscore the sophistication and ingenuity of First Nations design traditions.
A New Home for Art and Ideas
The exhibition also marks the reopening of the revitalised Potter Museum, which has undergone an extensive redevelopment by Wood Marsh Architects. The new design includes an impressive campus-facing entrance alongside enhanced spaces for collection-based education and community engagement. Chair of the museum, Peter Jopling AM KC, notes that the relaunch signals a bold new chapter for the museum as it redefines the role of cultural institutions within Australia’s arts landscape.
To support its mission of education and storytelling, the museum is also introducing an initiative developed in partnership with the University’s Ngarrngga Project. This innovative programme will create school-and university-level resources around Indigenous art, fostering a greater understanding of its cultural and historical significance. Marcia Langton, working alongside partners such as Professor Melitta Hogarth and Professor Aaron Corn, sees this as a vital step in embedding Indigenous knowledge into the curriculum. Accompanying the exhibition is a comprehensive publication featuring insights from 25 contributors, bridging generations and disciplines to examine Indigenous art’s enduring legacy.
Beyond the Galleries
From visuals to culinary artistry, the Potter’s reopening is designed as a multi-sensory experience. Coinciding with the exhibition’s launch, a new custom restaurant, Residence, is set to open its doors. Created by hospitality leaders Nathen Doyle and Cameron Earl, the venue will operate with an innovative ‘Chef in Residence’ format that invites culinary creatives to run the kitchen with their own unique vision. It promises to deliver a dynamic dining experience for museum visitors and Melbourne’s food lovers alike.
A Moment of Reflection and Celebration
For the University of Melbourne, 65,000 Years represents not only an exhibition but also an act of truth-telling. Professor Emma Johnston AO highlights its importance for critically examining the University’s own history, including its involvement with practices of scientific racism and cultural collection, while simultaneously celebrating the strength and resilience of Indigenous art.
Running until 23 November, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the complexities of Australian history, celebrate traditions that pre-date colonisation by tens of thousands of years, and look ahead to a more inclusive and truthful recognition of the nation’s cultural heritage. With free access to the majority of Melbourne’s cultural audience, the exhibition stands to be a defining moment in the museum and nation’s collective conversation.
More details about the exhibition can be found at The Potter Museum of Art.