Cressida Campbell is summer’s hottest ticket—but you’ll have to hurry

Posted on 18 January, 2023

This summer, a leafy oasis has emerged at the National Gallery of Australia.

Protected from the January sun, ensconced in (painted) greenery and whisper quiet, the Cressida Campbell exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia might just be the ultimate antidote to a Canberra summer but you’ll have to hurry—it closes on 19 February.

A comprehensive and visually stunning tribute to Campbell’s legacy as one of Australia’s finest modern artists, it takes mere moments after stepping into the exhibition for the rush and heat of Canberra’s summer to melt away. Curated on walls of cool blue, green and grey, Campbell’s iconic paintings and prints create a calm oasis as you’re drawn into a world of lovingly rendered detail and blooming colour.

Installation view, Cressida Campbell, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, 2022.

All of Campbell’s best-loved subjects are accounted for in this exhibition, from her iconic still lifes of flowers, plants, food and vases to the delightfully arranged round ‘tondo’ works depicting her Bronte home, and Sydney cityscapes.

The exhibition is perhaps best summarised by Campbell herself. Towards the back of the exhibition, a short documentary is played on a loop, where we watch Campbell create one of her iconic woodblock images and its corresponding print while talking about her life and work.

Sitting in the living room of her iconic Sydney home (which features frequently throughout her work), Campbell states that “Truth, heart and skill is what makes something great.” She’s talking about the art world—a scene she admits she doesn’t pay much attention to—and art itself but for me, this line is a perfect summary of Campbell’s own work and its subjects.

There is no façade in Campbell’s work. Wood is an unforgiving canvas and Campbell admits that her printing technique comes with serious challenges. Honesty shines through in the subjects she chooses—like her unmade bed—but also tangibly in the grain of her prints and woodblocks. In Campbell’s chosen medium there is nothing to hide behind. Heart can also be plainly seen in her decision to document so much of her personal life—her home, her belongings, herself—and in the warmth in which she renders them.

Installation view, Cressida Campbell, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, 2022.

The final element, skill, needs no explanation and this is where this exhibition’s beauty truly lies. Examining Campbell’s life’s work up close and personal is a true privilege and an experience that will snag the gaze of even the most dismissive visitor (teenagers dragged along during school holidays I’m looking at you).

Run, don’t walk to make sure you don’t miss summer’s hottest ticket.

Photos: Installation view, Cressida Campbell, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, 2022