The Naracoorte Art Gallery has launched 'ORIGIN', a retrospective exhibition showcasing the foundational pieces of its permanent public collection. The show features acquisitions made between the gallery's founding in 1968 and the early 1980s, including the institution's very first acquisition, a pencil drawing by Robert Walter Felling, alongside significant works by Australian modernists like Mervyn Smith and Judith Heidenreich.
This exhibition is significant as it highlights the evolution of a regional Australian cultural hub and its role in championing contemporary art over the last sixty years. By displaying works by influential figures such as John Rigby and Edwin Tanner, the gallery not only celebrates its historical legacy but also actively engages the community in modern conservation efforts, specifically seeking public support to restore a deteriorating lithograph by Brian Dunlop.