Fred Williams

Fred Williams is one of Australia’s greatest painters. He created a highly original and distinctive way of seeing the Australian landscape and was passionate about the painting process itself. This is the first major retrospective of Williams’ work in over 25 years. It highlights Williams’ strength as a painter including important large oil paintings and luminous gouaches to reveal his distinctive approach, often combining a feeling for place with a strong abstract emphasis.

Williams’ inspiration often emerged from the unique qualities of landscapes around Australia, from Upwey in Victoria to the Bass Strait in Tasmania and the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Although Williams is most often associated with dry environments, some of the surprises in the exhibition are the works that reveal his fascination with water – ponds, rivers, waterfalls and seascapes. The show uncovers other unexpected elements, such as portraits of his family and friends, and delicate studies in gouache of plants and animals.

Curator: Dr Deborah Hart, Senior Curator Australian Painting & Sculpture Post-1920

Generously supported by Principal Partner, Rio Tinto and Major Sponsor The Yulgilbar Foundation; Art Education & Access Partner, National Australia Bank and the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program, an Australian Government program aiming to improve access to the national collections for all Australians; and Visions of Australia, an Australian Government Program supporting touring exhibitions by providing funding assistance for the development and touring of cultural material across Australia. The exhibition is also supported by Media Partners Nine Network, The Age and ABC Local Radio.