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Wandering through museums and galleries is the perfect way to stay warm and this winter in Canberra there are plenty of exhibitions for culture vultures to explore.
From the National Photographic Portrait Prize (which brings Australia’s most talented photographers—both professional and amateur—to the fore) to an interactive and very family-friendly exhibition revealing the secret workings of cities, here are five not to miss.
Grit and Gold: Tales from a Sporting Nation (National Library of Australia)
Exploring some of Australia’s favourite sporting moments (who can forget Ash Barty winning the Australian Open in 2022?) the newest exhibition from the National Library of Australia is the ultimate celebration of Australia’s rich sporting heritage and its effect on our culture over the years.
From a selection of Emma McKeon’s gold medals from various Olympic and Commonwealth Games to the outfit worn by Ash Barty during her victorious 2021 Wimbledon campaign and an Olympic torch from the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Grit and Gold retells the stories that have brought joy, sorrow, and everything in between to every Australian household (and sports pub) on game day and beyond.
Friday 9 June until Saturday 5 November | National Library of Australia, Parkes Place West, Parkes | nla.gov.au
The National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023 (National Portrait Gallery)
It’s one of the most well-known exhibitions in Australia and now the National Photographic Portrait Prize is back for 2023. Selected from a national field of entries, the exhibition reflects the distinctive vision of Australia’s aspiring and professional portrait photographers and the unique nature of their subjects. Created by the National Portrait Gallery, it’s worth making a trip to see the nation’s best examples of photographic portraiture.
Saturday 17 June until Monday 2 October | National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes | portrait.gov.au
Feared and Revered: Feminine Power Through the Ages (National Museum of Australia)
If you haven’t been to the National Museum of Australia to see this exhibition you better hurry—time is running out. All the way from the British Museum, Feared and Revered: Feminine Power through the Ages brings together female, bi-gendered, or genderless spiritual beings from across time and culture to explore female and feminine power.
Featuring more than 160 objects from six continents—including the dazzling costume worn by Kylie Minogue on her Aphrodite Les Folies world tour in 2011, to representations of First Nations’ Yawkyawk mermaid-like ancestral spirits—it examines how goddesses, demons, witches, and spirits have shaped and continue to shape our understanding of the world and the role of women in it and engages with important social issues impacting the modern world.
Until Sunday 27 August | Lawson Crescent, Acton | nma.gov.au
How Cities Work (Canberra Museum and Gallery)
From sewers to skyscrapers, this interactive family exhibition reveals something you might have never thought about—the secret workings of our busy urban centres. Bringing to life the best-selling book of the same name, what makes How Cities Work extra fun is visitors big and small will be able to traverse a spectacular cityscape full of tactile and sensory activities, including a lively hands-on construction site, a futuristic design station, and a towering two-metre-high cityscape.
Until Sunday 8 October | Canberra Museum and Gallery, Corner London Circuit and Civic Square, Canberra City | cmag.com.au
Haegue Yang: Changing From From To From (Natural Gallery of Australia)
This exhibition features recent works by Seoul and Berlin-based artist Haegue Yang. Known for her open, fluid approach to artmaking, Changing From From To From explores interconnectivity and movement and features four works that express different strands of Yang’s multivalent practice. With references ranging from science and art history to political events and cultural traditions, head along to see it for yourself.
Until Sunday 24 September | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | nga.gov.au
Feature image: Haegue Yang: Changing From From To From via National Gallery of Australia Facebook page.