A major new exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) offers a rare opportunity for audiences to view iconic works by some of Europe’s most influential modernist artists, many of which have never before been seen in Australia.
Cézanne to Giacometti: highlights from Museum Berggruen/Neue Nationalgalerie is exclusive to Kamberri/Canberra and runs from 31 May to 21 September 2025. The exhibition features more than 80 works from the Berlin-based Museum Berggruen, alongside more than 75 works from the NGA’s collection.
Artists represented include Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Paul Klee and Alberto Giacometti – figures central to the development of modern art in the 20th century. Their works are presented in conversation with those of Australian artists, reflecting the global reach and influence of European modernist ideas on Australian modernist art.
The exhibition traces key artistic innovations in form, colour and perspective, beginning with Cézanne’s late-19th century experiments which challenged classical approaches and laid the groundwork for cubism and abstraction. From there, the show explores how subsequent artists responded to and built upon these developments, forming a complex and interconnected narrative of artistic progression and exchange.
“This exhibition highlights the connections between European and Australian art history,” said Dr Nick Mitzevich, Director of the NGA. “While the physical distance between Europe and Australia is great, the personal and artistic connections between artists of both continents bridges this distance.”
The exhibition’s genesis lies in a 2023 visit to the NGA by Nicolas Berggruen, son of renowned collector Heinz Berggruen. The younger Berggruen fostered the relationship between the NGA and Museum Berggruen, culminating in this cross-continental collaboration.
Nicolas Berggruen said: “As the Berggruen Museum collection journeys around the world, its stop at the exceptional National Gallery of Australia is a tribute to the enduring inspiration of Europe’s great modern masters. We’re honoured to bring these works into dialogue with the National Gallery’s remarkable collection and the vibrant cultural landscape of Australia.”
The curatorial team includes David Greenhalgh, Deirdre Cannon and Simeran Maxwell from the NGA, working in partnership with Dr Gabriel Montua and Natalie Zimmer from Museum Berggruen.
The exhibition is supported by an extensive public program and accompanying publication. A narrated audio tour by Australian writer Bri Lee, a short exhibition film and an interactive space designed by contemporary artist Dr Sanné Mestrom are also featured.
Klaus Biesenbach, Director of Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie, encouraged visitors to consider the broader context of the exhibition. “As you explore Cézanne to Giacometti, I encourage you to engage with each artwork not just as an isolated piece but as part of a larger conversation – a dialogue that spans continents and generations.”
The exhibition also serves as a tribute to Heinz Berggruen, whose collection was shaped by close personal relationships with many of the artists featured. A Jewish art dealer and critic who fled Germany before WWII, Berggruen spent much of his life in Paris before returning to Berlin in the 1990s, where he sold the bulk of his collection to the German government, ensuring its preservation and public accessibility.
More information about the exhibition and its public programs is available at National Gallery of Australia.
