Anne Dangar at the National Gallery of Australia

Anne Dangar (1885–1951) occupies a unique position in art history as one of Australia’s most important, yet underacknowledged modern artists. Almost a century ago in 1930, she moved permanently to the artist colony Moly-Sabata in France, established by the cubist painter Albert Gleizes. Over the next two decades, she dedicated herself to Cubism, developing a distinct practice that synthesised traditional French pottery with cubist designs and decorations. Dangar is one of very few Australian artists to form part of the European avant-garde in the twentieth century, and the only to meaningfully contribute to Cubism in France, her adopted home. She was also a dedicated advocate and promoter of modern art in Australia, the first to teach and arguably to exhibit cubist art in the country, and she directly influenced the development of abstraction in Sydney from the 1930s onwards.

Bringing together ceramics, paintings, works on paper and archival material, Anne Dangar explores the artist’s life and practice, as well as her important position in French modern art as one of most dedicated and truly modern Australian artists of the twentieth century. The exhibition is a Know My Name project, the National Gallery of Australia initiative celebrating the work of all women artists to enhance understanding of their contribution to Australia’s cultural life.

Rebecca Edwards is Curator, Australian Art, at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.

This event will be held both on-campus and online via Zoom (a link to the online stream will be sent to registered attendees).

The School of Art & Design Seminar series will continue weekly on Tuesdays from 1-2pm, between 17 February and 21 October 2025, co-convened by Dr Alex Burchmore and Alia Parker.