Eric Thake—Do You See What I See?

The 2026-27 summer exhibition, Eric Thake—Do You See What I See? will emphasise Eric Thake’s (1904-1982) practice of evoking visual wit and humour from attentive observations of the everyday and emphasising the continuing legacies of his visual iconography upon Australian art dialogues. In collaboration with guest curators Kirsty Grant and Alisa Bunbury, this comprehensive survey exhibition will comprise 99 works, including 35 from Geelong Gallery’s extensive Collection holdings, accentuating the breadth and interconnected themes across Thake’s printmaking, drawing, photography, and painting practice. 

Central to the exhibition will be Thake’s connections to Geelong Gallery and region: his first solo exhibition was held  at Geelong Gallery, Pubs and Bars (1976); in 1986, the Friends of the Gallery and Gallery Grasshoppers provided funds for the acquisition of Thake’s extensive Christmas card suite; and a major painting, completed during his final decade in Geelong, Brasilia at Corio (1976), was acquired in recognition of the Geelong Art Gallery Foundation’s 40th Anniversary in 2024.

What are the hours of the exhibition? 
Daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Last entry at 4.00pm. Exhibition tickets are sold for 20-minute entry intervals.

Why do I need to buy tickets for a specific time? 
Timed tickets ensure our visitors have the chance to view the exhibition comfortably whilst avoiding long queues and waiting times. The allocated time slot helps with monitoring safe capacity limits in the exhibition. We suggest visitors allow one hour to view the exhibition and encourage visiting during the Gallery’s quieter visitation period, in the afternoon from 2.00pm.  

Where can I buy tickets? 
We highly recommend purchasing tickets online prior to your arrival. Online ticket sales will close at 9.00am on the day of visiting. A limited number of tickets can also be purchased in-person or over the phone, through Geelong Gallery’s Visitor Experience desk. To avoid queues, we strongly recommend booking online. If you experience any problems, please contact Geelong Gallery’s Visitor Experience team. 

Can I buy tickets to the exhibition on the day? 
A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase in-person, on the day at the Visitor Experience desk. However, the Gallery cannot guarantee tickets will be available to coincide with your arrival time. We highly recommend purchasing tickets online the day prior to your arrival.