Australia’s most iconic artists on show in Bendigo

Culture lovers can expect to experience a double dose of Australian arts, craft and fashion in Bendigo this month.

The Australiana: Designing a Nation exhibition and The Australian Women’s Weekly: 90 Years of an Australian Icon exhibitions are now on display at the Bendigo Art Gallery.

Entry to both exhibitions is free and each offers visitors a lens into the arts, crafts and fashion that have shaped Australia culture throughout the decades.

Australiana: Designing a Nation is free at the Bendigo Art Gallery. Photo: Leon Schoots.

At the Australiana: Designing a Nation exhibition the works of Australia’s most iconic artists – from Tom Roberts to Vincent Namatjira – are on display in this three-month exhibition that explores the question of Australian identity.

More than 200 diverse items are on show, including photos, fashion, jewellery, moving image and furniture.

Instantly recognisable art works, such as the bright colours of Ken Done paintings and the black-and-white photos taken by Max Dupain, will be sure to transport viewers to different eras in Australia’s history.

Ken Done’s Sydney Sunday.  Photo: Bendigo Tourism

One of the most historic pieces is the 1890 painting Shearing the Rams by Tom Roberts. Depicting the shearing of sheep in a timber shed, the painting is also one of Australia’s most well-known and loved artworks.

Jenny Kee’s Blinky jumper, as worn by Princess Di, graced the front cover during the 1980s.

Then there’s the Blinky jumper by fashion designer Jenny Kee.

The oversized knit, created in 1979, was made world-famous when it was worn by Princess Diana in 1982. It was sent as a wedding gift to the princess, who was photographed wearing it while pregnant with Prince William.

Art lovers will also enjoy works by Sidney Nolan, Tony Albert, Paul McCann, Hilda Rix Nicholas and fashion label Romance Was Born.

Homegrown fashion on show as part of the the Australiana: Designing a Nation exhibition. Photo: Leon Schoots 

Created in partnership with the NGV, the exhibition is a collection of pieces from both galleries as well as the Australiana Fund, which adorns the walls of the houses of the governor-general and the prime minister.

By showing the vast array of art over the past 200 years, the exhibition aims to examine the changing notions of Australian identity and style.

Each work represents a time, a place and a culture, allowing viewers to reflect on how we saw ourselves in the past and how we see ourselves in the present.

If you’re thinking about a winter weekend away in Bendigo, now is the time to plan ahead.

The Australiana: Designing a Nation exhibition is only on show for a limited time, ending on June 25.

The Australian Women’s Weekly: 90 Years of an Australian Icon  finishes on August 27.