National Gallery opens Cressida Campbell with announcement of major new acquisition

The opening of Cressida Campbell at the National Gallery of Australia this Saturday 24 September will be celebrated with the acquisition of Bedroom nocturne, 2022.

Featuring more than 140 of her woodcut prints and woodblock paintings that span from her earliest to newest works, the National Gallery invites people on a journey into the imagination and life of artist Cressida Campbell with her largest exhibition to date.

A renowned colourist whose work blends printmaking and painting, Campbell’s four-decade career demonstrates her ability to blur the boundary between art and life as she translates the everyday into the extraordinary.

Acquired to mark the Gallery’s 40th anniversary, the woodblock painting Bedroom nocturne is considered a breakthrough moment in Campbell’s practice. Created using a circular composition, Campbell offers an intimate night-time view of the bedroom she shares with her husband, Warren Macris.

Dr Sarina Noordhuis-Fairfax, Curator, Australian Prints and Drawings said ‘Exquisitely detailed, Bedroom nocturne attests to her experimentation in recent years with circular works that play with centrifugal compositional energy and offer a slightly voyeuristic glimpse into her private world. Following Campbell’s health scare in late 2020, the mood of this woodblock painting is a marked departure from her other more measured domestic scenes.’

Dr Noordhuis-Fairfax said that in documenting her own life, Campbell’s art remains connected to the times in which she lives. ‘The personal nature of her pictures resonates with audiences and offers an overview of the last 40 years of her story,’ she said.

Dr Nick Mitzevich, Director, said ‘Cressida Campbell is one of Australia’s most significant contemporary artists. Cressida has developed a unique approach to woodblock printmaking, which is as beautiful as it is idiosyncratic. This practice is drawn from years of study and experimentation, and melds painting and printmaking to document her home, her art, her life.’

‘In our 40th anniversary year, we are excited to not only showcase Cressida Campbell as our major summer exhibition, but to acquire one of her greatest works to date for the permanent collection. The National Gallery has been gifted Cressida’s woodblock painting Bedroom nocturne. This incredible work has come into the collection thanks to the generous support of Marilyn Darling AC and the Gordon Darling Australia Pacific Print Fund.’

With many of Campbell’s sought after painted woodblocks and single-edition woodcut prints held in private collections, audiences will have a rare chance to see works that have been off public display for decades.

The exhibition will also be accompanied by a generously illustrated catalogue created in collaboration with the artist that will offer new insights into her life and work, featuring research and writing from a range of curators, artists, poets and other voices.

Cressida Campbell is a Know My Name project, in celebration of the National Gallery’s 40th Anniversary. Visit 40 Years for more.

KEY DATES
Media Preview | 23 September at 11am
Exhibition Season | 24 September 2022 to 19 February 2023

TICKETS
$22 Adults $17 Members $20 Concession $6 Child (5-16 years). Season tickets available
To book, visit https://nga.gov.au/exhibitions/cressida-campbell/

EVENTS

Cressida Campbell Members Preview
Fri 23 Sep | Members tickets $17, guest tickets vary
National Gallery Members are invited to be among the first to experience the Cressida Campbell exhibition. Wander through the galleries and chat with Gallery Guides as they share insights about the works of art on display. Entry times available every half hour from 3pm – 6.30pm. Exhibition and Gallery closes at 8.00pm.

Cressida Campbell: Drop in and draw
24 Sep 22 – 19 Feb 23 | free
Cressida Campbell has always loved drawing the beauty of what she sees around her in everyday life. Gather around the table to observe, compose and draw together. A still life of objects from the National Gallery’s collection and the artist’s own home provide inspiration for people of all ages and abilities.

Art Lab Onsite: Printmaking workshop
Sat 24 & Sun 25 Sep, 10am-4pm | free | ages 13+
Inspired by Cressida Campbell’s process, join us in an Art Lab with local printmaking artist Sally Black. Start by drawing a simple subject/design onto a woodblock. Use simple carving techniques before applying paint and taking an impression on paper. Every print taken from the block will be unique.

Art chats and guided tours
24 Sep 22 - 19 Feb 23, various times
Hear from the National Gallery’s expert guides and join a tour of Cressida Campbell.

Cressida Campbell Audio Tour
Accessible from your own device, at the Gallery or from home.
Take a journey through the exhibition with the artist. Hear personal stories about her works and practice as Cressida Campbell guides visitors through the exhibition. As you enter into each room, hear curatorial insights from Dr Sarina Noordhuis-Fairfax.

More Cressida Campbell programs to be announced throughout exhibition season. For more, visit https://nga.gov.au/exhibitions/cressida-campbell/

MEDIA KIT
Images available via Cressida Campbell Media Kit
Video newsreel available HERE.

CATALOGUE
Digital version available here. Hard copy available on request.

STORIES & IDEAS
Q&A: Family Matters
Photo Essay: Cressida Campbell in her own words

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Jessica Barnes
Acting Communications Manager
P +61 2 6240 6431
M +61 437 986 286
E jessica.barnes@nga.gov.au