News

Hermannsburg School seen in a new light

From the so-called 'chocolate box' painting, which led to an appreciation of Aboriginal art, to a dynamic contemporary art style – this new exhibition shifts perceptions of the Hermannsburg school.

27 Oct 2023

Gina Fairley

Hermannsburg. landscape painting with text over it saying '20 year waiting list'

Visual Arts

Lenie Namatjira, ‘Mount Gillen, near Alice Springs’ 2016. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased NGV Foundation, 2018 © Lenie Namatjira/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia. Image: NGV.

In 2022, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) received a significant donation of 77 artworks from Darvell M Hutchinson AM, mostly watercolours from the Hermannsburg School of Artists.

While Darvell was known for his 50-year stewardship of the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust (Vic) – and was a former NGV Trustee – this gift of paintings came from his own passion for Hermannsburg watercolours, and captures a collecting zeitgeist in Australia at the time.

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Gina Fairley

Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina