Margaret PRESTON<br/> <em>Wheelflower</em> (c. 1929) <!-- (recto) --><br /> hand-coloured woodcut on brown hand-made paper<br /> 44.2 x 44.7 cm irreg. (block) 48.4 x 47.1 cm irreg. (sheet)<br /> proof<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Purchased, 1979<br /> P10-1979<br /> © Margaret Preston/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia <!--25423-->
Margaret PRESTON
Wheelflower (c. 1929)
hand-coloured woodcut on brown hand-made paper
44.2 x 44.7 cm irreg. (block) 48.4 x 47.1 cm irreg. (sheet)
proof
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1979
P10-1979
© Margaret Preston/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia

Margaret Preston: A Retrospective Exhibition
Teacher and Student Programs

4 Sep 2026 – 31 Jan 2027

NGV Australia, Level 3

Margaret Preston is a major retrospective exhibition celebrating one of Australia’s most influential modern artists. While celebrating Preston’s important contribution to Australian art and culture this exhibition contextualises her work alongside her peers, as well as contemporary artists who have responded to her legacy. As such, Margaret Preston provides a rich case study through which to explore ideas of national identity, cross-cultural influence and the complexities of a modern art practice. Born in Adelaide in 1875, Preston trained in Australia before travelling extensively in England and Europe, where she encountered key modernist movements including Post‑Impressionism, the Arts and Crafts movement and Japanese ukiyo‑e. On her return to Sydney in 1919, she became a leading advocate for modernist principles in Australia and sought to develop what she understood as a distinctly Australian visual language. To resolve her passion in defining a national art, Preston turned towards the cultural material of First Peoples, whose designs she perceived as untouched by European taste. Although Preston was progressive in recognising the aesthetic value of the objects and motifs she incorporated, her approach did not consider their significance to the communities from which she appropriated. This exhibition situates Preston within her historical context and alongside contemporary artists who respond to her legacy, offering opportunities for students to engage with both her artistic achievements and the ongoing debates her work provokes.

Explore the range of NGV Educator-led programming or book a self-guided school visit below. Bookings are required for all school groups.

PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS

Margaret Preston for Primary Students Levels F–6 Margaret Preston for Secondary Students Levels 7–VCE Self-Guided Viewing of Margaret Preston All Levels Margaret Preston Studio Workshop | Print Like a Modernist Levels 5-8

Programs for Teachers

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Online
Margaret Preston Online Exhibition Briefing Professional Learning for Teachers

4–5pm, 13 Aug, free, booking required
Enquiries

03 8620 2340, 9am–5pm weekdays

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Terms and Conditions

Please note the following terms and conditions prior to booking:

  • All bookings are confirmed at time of booking. Tentative bookings are not accepted
  • Invoices will be issued by NGV prior to visit. Payment must be paid at least one week prior to the visit
  • Requests to amend confirmed booking details (such as change to participant numbers), must be made by email at least 14 days prior to visit.
  • Full program fees will be incurred for late cancellations or amendments.
  • No refund for variance in student number during visit.
  • Students must be supervised at all times by a teacher or adult.