‘Metamorphosis’ by Erica Seccombe.CANBERRA artist Erica Seccombe has won the Waterhouse Natural Science art prize this year for her work, “Metamorphosis”, a time-lapse and translucent perspective of a pupating fly. Hayley Lander, also from Canberra, won the “emerging” section for “The great forgetting”, which are delicately rendered images of eucalyptus. The Waterhouse prize exhibition will be hosted by the National Archives but installed (because of renovations) at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. It opens to the public on August 23.
‘Elegy to the Spanish Republic’ by Robert Motherwell, 1958, NGA, synthetic polymer paint on canvasTHE “American Masters 1940-1990” exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia is drawn exclusively from the gallery’s outstanding collection of American art, and opens to the public this Friday (August 24) and runs until November 11. And it’s free!
ALSO at the NGA, Agatha Gothe-Snape and Brian Fuata combine dance and spoken word in a live performance, “The Prologue”, which celebrates the work of the conceptual artist, Lawrence Weiner. At 2pm, Sunday, August 26. Free, but bookings recommended to nga.gov.au
THE gallery will also host an indigenous cultural tour through the gardens of the NGA where, with a local Aboriginal guide, people can learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture through bush tucker foraging. Afterwards, there will be tour of the collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art. From 10.30am–12.30pm, Saturday, August 25. Fees apply, bookings to nga.gov.au
Untitled 3 by Cameron HaasNANCY Sever Gallery is presenting “New City”, an exhibition of recent work by Cameron Haas. The title reflects the fact that the artist has relocated to Canberra from Sydney, where he exhibited at the Ray Hughes Gallery. Through a non-narrative perspective he emphasises the “visual” in visual art, drawing on the fundamentals of image making, whilst leaving narrative as second. At Nancy Sever Gallery, Gorman Arts Centre, on the corner of Batman and Currong Street, Braddon, from Wednesday, August 22 to September 16.
STRATHNAIRN Arts has “A Hat of Many Dreams”, which will feature photography by Akka Ballenger Constantin in the homestead and “Natural Abstraction”, which will show photography by Tony Fleming in the wool shed. At Strathnairn, Stockdill Drive, Holt, from August 23 to September 16.
A work in “The Natural World”“THE Natural World” is an exhibition of photographs by members of the Canberra Photographic Society. The photographs from Australia and from distant locations such as Antarctica and Africa go beyond documentation to provide considered and thoughtful responses to natural phenomena. Discovery Centre, CSIRO Black Mountain, 9am-4.30pm, Monday to Friday, until September 27. The opening night, by architect Tony Trobe, begins at 5pm, Wednesday, August 22. All welcome.
A POP-UP shop in Weston is the latest venue for an art show and sale of Wendy Macklin’s latest show of paintings with happy people and children and dogs having fun in the sun. “South Coast Summer” will be found at the bottom of the escalator, Cooleman Court, from August 24-26.
PHOTOACCESS presents two new exhibitions showcasing emerging artists, “Light Preserved” by Chloe Gray and “Postcard eXotica” by Diego Ramirez. Huw Davies Gallery, Manuka Arts Centre, August 23 to September 16. Opening by Kate Morschel, curator, National Museum of Australia, 6pm, Thursday, August 23, all welcome.canberrawritersfestival.com.au
Canberra region authors Jackie French and Clare Hallifax have each received $5000 as shortlisted authors in the 2026 ARA Historical Novel Prize, announced in Sydney on Thursday.
From the deeply disturbing dance theatre of Little Dove's The Fool to the anarchic comedy of Frumpus's Landed, The Independents delivers two wildly contrasting shows, reviews GRACE CASSIDY.
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