If a trip to London isn’t on the cards, you can still get a taste of one of its cultural icons right here in Sydney. The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) is joining forces with London’s Tate International for Connections: MCA x Tate, a landmark exhibition celebrating one of the most significant international partnerships in Australian contemporary art.
Open until March 1, 2027, the exhibition brings together works acquired through the MCA and Tate International Joint Acquisition Program, alongside works from the MCA Collection and newly commissioned pieces. Together, they explore Australia’s ancient and recent cultural histories through a powerful First Nations lens.
The joint acquisition program ran from 2015 to 2022, made possible by a $2.75 million gift from the Qantas Foundation. It enabled 35 significant works by 24 Australian artists to enter the collections of two major international institutions, helping bring Australian contemporary art to audiences around the world.
The partnership first made waves at Tate Modern in 2021 with A Year in Art: Australia 1992, which attracted almost 1.5 million visitors. It also supported Richard Bell’s acclaimed Embassy, presented in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall in 2023.
Curated for an Australian audience, Connections: MCA x Tate explores cultural exchange, trade, migration, travel and diaspora, while examining the long-lasting impact of British colonisation. First Nations artists are at the heart of the exhibition, with works exploring cultural knowledge, sovereignty, Country and resilience.
New commissions include works by Meriam artist Gail Mabo, Yolŋu artist Helen Ganalmirriwuy Garrawurra and Sydney artist Shireen Taweel, alongside works by artists including Daniel Boyd, Gordon Bennett, John Hughes, Vernon Ah Kee, Frances Djulibing, Balang John Mawurndjul AM, Yhonnie Scarce, Judy Watson and many others.
Connections: MCA x Tate runs at the MCA from now to March 1, 2027. Entry is free for MCA Members and under 18s. Get the details here.
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