The Portland Art Museum is proud to present the only West Coast presentation of The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous Art, the largest exhibition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art ever presented in North America. Organized by the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the landmark exhibition will be on view at PAM from September 5, 2026, through January 3, 2027.

The Stars We Do Not See is the outcome of a unique cultural partnership between the National Gallery of Art and the NGV, which will facilitate the global exchange of artworks from the NGV’s permanent collection. Bank of America is the North America Tour Sponsor for the exhibition.

Organized by the NGV especially for North American audiences, the exhibition features 147 works by more than 100 artists, several of whom work collaboratively, drawn exclusively from the NGV's world-leading collection. PAM’s presentation of The Stars We Do Not See will offer a captivating and multi-layered experience for visitors of all ages. This extensive exhibition introduces visitors to the breadth and depth of creative and cultural practice by Indigenous Australian artists, connected to the world’s oldest continuous living culture.

“We’ve been working for years to bring this exhibition to Portland, so it’s deeply rewarding to finally share it with our community,” said Don Urquhart, Co-Interim Director of Portland Art Museum. “These paintings and sculptures have traveled across the globe to be here, giving our audiences a rare opportunity to experience the depth and vitality of Indigenous Australian art and culture. It’s also simply beautiful—enormous, vibrant, powerful works of art that I know visitors are going to love experiencing in person.”

Through a rich display of masterpieces—many of which have never before left Australia—The Stars We Do Not See traces pivotal moments in Indigenous Australian art from the late 19th century to the present.

“I think our visitors are going to be surprised by what they learn about the diversity and range of the work by the artists included in this exhibition, from the depth of emotion and history to the sophisticated use of color and abstraction. The exhibition is a contemporary art exhibition but rooted in thousands of years of culture and expression,” said Kathleen Ash-Milby, Senior Curator of Native American Art at PAM.

“At Bank of America, we know the arts play a vital role in building stronger, more connected communities by creating opportunities for learning, dialogue, and shared appreciation,” said Marc Compton, Oregon and Southwest Washington President for Bank of America. “By supporting the North American tour of this landmark exhibition, we hope this rare opportunity for Portland Art Museum visitors to experience the astonishing breadth of modern and contemporary Australian Indigenous art will leave them inspired.”

The exhibition introduces audiences to Indigenous Australian contemporary art practice, including the conceptual map paintings of the Central and Western Deserts, ochre bark paintings, and experimental weavings. It also highlights the work of new-media artists, who build on tradition with groundbreaking works in neon, video, and photography.

Highlighted works never shown in North America include Emily Kam Kngwarray’s monumental painting, Anwerlarr Anganenty (Big Yam Dreaming) (1995). At over nine by twenty-seven feet, this iconic painting from the NGV collection represents the underground network of roots and yams.

The exhibition's title is inspired by the late senior Yolŋu artist Gulumbu Yunupiŋu (1943–2012), who became known as “Star Lady.” Her intricate works, a selection of which will be featured in the exhibition, use crosses to represent the stars we can see and a dense network of dots to symbolize the stars we cannot see—the unseen expanse of the universe.

Urban-based contemporary artists working in new media are represented throughout the show, with key works by influential artists such as Brook Andrew, Richard Bell, Reko Rennie, and Maree Clarke. Included are Christian Thompson’s Burdi Burdi (Fire Fire) (2021), a four-channel sound installation and Destiny Deacon’s Snow Storm (2005), which explores how Aboriginal material culture has historically been presented in clinical, museological environments.

Through diverse art forms—from ochre bark paintings and weavings to modern and contemporary sound and video installations—visitors will explore key Indigenous Australian concepts like Country and Dreaming. Interpretation will focus on making Indigenous knowledges and ideas accessible, helping visitors understand what might appear to Western audiences as abstract patterns are complex visual maps layered with cultural knowledge, stories, and law.

The exhibition emphasizes the living nature of Indigenous Australian art and culture. To foster engagement and accessibility, Portland Art Museum’s presentation will feature several artwork tactiles—originally utilized in the Denver Art Museum installation—placed directly alongside the featured pieces. 

By highlighting the artists’ exploration of sovereignty, land rights, and ties to community and ancestors, the exhibition will encourage visitors to recognize that Indigenous Australian art is simultaneously ancient and contemporary, serving as a powerful expression of identity and a vital vehicle for the transmission of cultural knowledge and practice.

The exhibition is organized by the National Gallery of Victoria and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in association with the Portland Art Museum, the Denver Art Museum, and the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts, where the exhibition will finish its North American tour in Spring 2027.

EVENTS

The Stars We Do Not See: Opening Conversation
Sunday, September 27
Featuring Dr. Jessica Clark, National Gallery of Victoria’s Senior Curator, First Nations Art, along with featured artist Ricky Maynard.

Free First Thursday
October 1
Enjoy free admission, film screenings that explore Indigenous Australian experience and contemporary storytelling, and Look With Me sessions that invite visitors to slow down, look closely, and take part in guided conversations around selected works in the exhibition.

VISIT

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free First Thursdays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tickets:

Free | Members
Free | Children 17 and under
$27.50 | Adults
$24.50 | Seniors 62+
$22.50 | Student (with current ID) 

Free First Thursdays –Visit for free on the first Thursday of each month.