Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso to open at Shepparton Art Museum

From 23 May 2026, Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) invites art lovers to step into the bold, beautiful and revolutionary world of Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.

A landmark exhibition from Aotearoa New Zealand’s pre-eminent art gallery, Facing Modernity features esteemed works never before shown in Australia tracing the evolution of modern art through some of its most celebrated masters including Pierre Bonnard, Georges Braque, Paul Cezanne, Salvador Dalí, André Derain, Paul Gauguin, Barbara Hepworth, Fernand Léger, Henri Matisse, and Pablo Picasso.

Spanning nearly a century of artistic innovation, Facing Modernity brings together 37 exceptional paintings and sculptures that capture the radical shifts in art from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. Audiences will encounter the icons of the modern art movements, including Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Surrealism and post-war abstraction.

This important collection of works includes a major philanthropic gift from New York-based collectors Julian Robertson (1932-2022) and Josie Robertson (1943-2010) to Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki in 2023.

Their generous bequest offers a rare glimpse into the vision of two passionate art patrons and their lifelong commitment to sharing and celebrating modern art, and now, their vision will light up gallery walls in regional Victoria for the very first time.

From the sensual nudes and atmospheric brushwork of late 19th century Impressionism to the geometric intensity of Cubism and the dreamlike worlds of Surrealism, Facing Modernity traces how artists shattered conventions and reimagined the world anew.

“Shepparton Art Museum is honoured to share this extraordinary exhibition with Australian audiences. Facing Modernity offers a rare opportunity to encounter works by the defining figures of modern art; artists whose visions continue to shape how we understand creativity and human connection today,” said Danny Lacy, SAM Artistic Director.

“These iconic works have become favourites at home, seen by more than 479,000 people on display in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland over the past two years. This tour takes them beyond our walls, creating new encounters for audiences who may not normally have the chance to experience them,” said Dr Sarah Farrar, Auckland Art Gallery Head of Curatorial and Learning.

Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso
Shepparton Art Museum, 530 Wyndham Street, Shepparton
Exhibition: 23 May – 20 September 2026
Entry fees apply

For more information, visit: www.sheppartonartmuseum.com.au for details.

Images: Paul Cezanne [French, b.1839, d.1906], La route (Le mur d’enceinte) The Road (The Old Wall), 1875-1876, oil on canvas, HxWxD 463 x 556 x 18 mm. Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Julian and Josie Robertson through the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, 2023 | Pablo Picasso [Spanish, b.1881, d. 1973], Femme à la résille (Woman in a hairnet), 1938 oil on canvas, HxW 460 x 380 mm. Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Julian and Josie Robertson through the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, 2023 | André Derain [French, b. 1880, d. 1954], Paysage à l’Estaque (Estaque Landscape), 1906, oil on canvas, HxW 540 x 655 mm. Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Julian and Josie Robertson through the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, 2023