The Potter Museum of Art Reopens with Groundbreaking “65,000 Years” Exhibition

The Potter Museum of Art, the University of Melbourne’s flagship art institution, reopens today with the landmark exhibition 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art.

Opening during National Reconciliation Week, the exhibition highlights the significance and brilliance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, showcasing works spanning tens of thousands of years of cultural heritage, Australia’s colonial past, and into the 21st century.

Curated by Distinguished Professor Marcia Langton AO, Senior Curator Judith Ryan AM, and Associate Curator Shanysa McConville, in close consultation with Indigenous artists and custodians of cultural traditions, the exhibition features over 400 works of art and 50 documents. Many are rarely seen pieces from the University of Melbourne’s collection, complemented by 193 loans from 77 public and private lenders.

Six new commissions by leading contemporary Indigenous artists—Sandra Aitken, Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Julie Gough, Brett Leavy, Betty Muffler, Maringka Burton, and Vicki West—add a fresh dimension to the display.

Professor Langton described the exhibition’s title as “ironic,” referencing the late recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art by Australia’s curators and collectors. She said, “65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art celebrates Indigenous art as the greatest single revolution in Australian art, now increasingly recognised in galleries and collections worldwide.”

Judith Ryan emphasized, “This exhibition bears testament to 65,000 years of cultural knowledge, bringing together an extraordinary range of artists and works of art that create a conceptual map of our contested shared history and introduce Indigenous architects of change.”

Associate Curator Shanysa McConville added, “65,000 Years reveals key moments and turning points in the history of Indigenous art in Australia. It explores diverse traditions across language groups and regions, as well as innovative art forms that emerged post-invasion, filled with resistance and creativity.”

The newly redeveloped Potter Museum features a striking new entrance on the University of Melbourne campus and enhanced spaces for its leading collection-based learning programs. This transformation was made possible through generous support from The Ian Potter Foundation and Lady Primrose Potter AC.

Chairman of the Potter Museum of Art, Mr. Peter Jopling AM KC, expressed his enthusiasm: “For over 50 years, the Potter Museum of Art has played a vital role in Melbourne’s cultural life, exhibiting contemporary art alongside the University’s collections. We are thrilled to welcome visitors back into our revitalised museum and to create a bold, thought-provoking environment where art can be explored and enjoyed.”