The Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) in regional Victoria, Australia, is hosting a touring exhibition from the Auckland Art Gallery titled "Facing Modernity: Degas to Picasso," featuring 37 iconic works by artists including Picasso, Dalí, Degas, and Matisse. The show, on view from May 23 to September 20, 2026, spans modern art from 1860 to the mid-1960s and includes 11 pieces from a bequest by New York collectors Josie and Julian Robertson. SAM Artistic Director Danny Lacy, who previously worked at the gallery with former director Kirsten Paisley, secured the Australian exclusive after maintaining ties with Auckland.
This exhibition matters because it brings world-class modernist masterpieces to a regional Australian town, underscoring the cultural and economic impact of decentralizing art access. By hosting an exclusive show of this caliber, SAM positions itself as a cultural tourism destination, drawing visitors from across Victoria and beyond. The story also highlights the power of personal connections in the art world—Lacy’s relationship with Paisley enabled the loan—and the importance of exposing regional communities to major artworks, potentially inspiring future generations of artists and audiences.