#116 ARTSNATIONAL Gold Coast
April 2026 Lecture and Morning Tea
'Degenerates and Perverts: the legendary 1939 Herald Exhibition of modern artists'
Dali 
Leger 
LegerIn 1939 an exhibition of art came to Australia which became legendary. The 1939 Herald Exhibition of French and British Contemporary Art has been called the single most enlivening event in Australia's modern cultural development. Opening when Australia was undergoing profound change, not only in art but also socially, this exhibition became the focus for the opposing forces of cultural conservatism and innovation which marked the time. This lecture will examine the many and competing claims made for this exhibition. It will examine how the show was organised and selected, where and how it was displayed in Australia and what reception it received. Finally, it will attempt to evaluate its impact upon Australian art and society, at a time when conservatives were accused of perverting progress and progressives were accused of degeneracy.
Biography: Steven Miller was the head of the National Art Archive at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from 2009 to 2023. He has worked in commercial and public galleries since the late 1980s and published widely on art. The book he co-authored on the first blockbuster exhibition of modern European masters to visit Australia was awarded the NSW Premier’s History Award. His 2015 publication Awakening: Four lives in art is an exploration of the creation of national identity through art. The popular and informative Dogs in Australian Art is now into its third, expanded edition. He wrote the first history of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which was published to celebrate its 150th anniversary. He has a Masters degree in theology, as well as qualifications in art history and archives. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW.
"Degenerates and Perverts: the legendary 1939 Herald exhibition of modern artists".
Our Australian Speaker is Steven Miller.
Morning Tea included.
Date
Saturday 11 April 2026 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM (UTC+10)Location
Lecture: Cinema 1, HOTA - Morning Tea: Studio 1, HOTA
135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise Qld 4217
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#116 ArtsNational Gold Coast Lecture - Sat 11 April 2026
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