CANBERRA.- Closing on 21 September 2025, Cézanne to Giacometti marks the first time works of art from one of the most significant hubs of modern art in Germany – the Museum Berggruen collection – have been shown in Australia. Exclusive to the National Gallery in Kamberri/Canberra, Cézanne to Giacometti brings together 80 rarely seen works from the renowned Museum Berggruen collection in direct dialogue with over 75 works from the national collection.

Spanning over a century of artistic transformation, the exhibition examines the moments of contact and exchange between groundbreaking European artists and their Australian counterparts. The avant-garde visions of Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse, Paul Klee and Alberto Giacometti shaped 20th century modern art in Europe. Australian artists such as Grace Cossington Smith, John Passmore, Dorrit Black and Ludwig Hirschfeld-Mack experimented with and built upon their ideas and techniques, transforming Australian art in parallel.

The exhibition is spread across six galleries, beginning with Cézanne’s breakthroughs in perspective and form, and concluding with Giacometti’s iconic, elongated figurative sculptures. Tracing a genealogy of influence through the artists from both collections, visitors to Cézanne to Giacometti can witness the impact of Cézanne on recent art history within both a local and global context.

David Greenhalgh, Curator, International Art, National Gallery: ‘It has been wonderful to see the enthusiastic reaction of visitors to Cézanne to Giacometti. Putting renowned modern art from Berlin in dialogue with important Australian works is an opportunity to understand the bigger picture of 20th century art.’

Cézanne to Giacometti was fostered by Nicolas Berggruen, the son of art collector Heinz Berggruen (1914–2007), during a visit to the National Gallery in 2023. The Museum Berggruen collection is currently on an international tour whilst the Berlin gallery is closed for major renovations. It’s exclusive stop in Australia follows highly successful exhibitions in Japan, China, Italy and France.

Dr Nick Mitzevich, Director, National Gallery: ‘Cézanne to Giacometti is a rare opportunity to see key highlights from the Museum Berggruen collection in Australia, including Cézanne’s Portrait of Madame Cézanne, rare cubist masterpieces by Picasso, Matisse’s iconic cut-outs and Giacometti’s monumental 2.3m Tall nude standing III bronze sculpture. In these final weeks, we invite everyone to the National Gallery to experience for themselves this significant collection, in a direct and unique dialogue with Australia’s modernists. This unique opportunity to bring one of Europe’s foremost collections of modern art to Australia is testament to the generosity of Museum Berggruen and the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, Germany.’

Cézanne to Giacometti includes The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of her Parts, an interactive play space created by Gadigal Nura/Sydney-based contemporary artist Dr. Sanné Mestrom. Building on the artistic dialogues initiated by the exhibition, Mestrom transforms abstract cubist principles into a playable adventure, inviting audiences of all ages to engage, create and connect. An eight-stop audio guide hosted by award winning author, academic and activist Bri Lee also accompanies the exhibition, along with a dedicated publication.