Araluen Arts Centre: 
Desert Light: Central Australian Landscapes John Borrack | Araluen Collection
A survey of Central Australian paintings by John Borrack
Desert Light: Central Australian Landscapes is the first public gallery exhibition to survey the Central Australian work of this treasured senior Australian artist.
Comprised of 30 much-loved oil paintings, watercolours and drawings, the exhibition is drawn exclusively from the artist’s private collection. These accomplished works provide a snapshot of six decades of work and represent a lifelong ambition to convey what is felt as well as seen in nature.
The presentation of Borrack’s paintings adjacent to key works from the Araluen Collection that demonstrate the omnipresent nature of country in Central Australia, its ancient stories, beauty and predicament artists face in representing it. This exhibition presents an exceptional opportunity to experience the breadth of the gallery’s curatorial holdings and Borrack’s bold vision of Central Australia.
A soft exhibition opening and morning tea will be held on Friday, 19 June at 10.30am in the Atrium Foyer (adjacent to Gallery 3).
A Q&A Symposium considering the Central Australian landscape through the paintings of renowned landscape artist John Borrack and from the Araluen Collection will be held on Saturday, 20 June, between 10.30am 11.30am, in Gallery 3.
The panel will include: Leon Borrack (John Borrack’s son), John Wolseley (Artist in Residence, Araluen Arts Centre), Jennifer Taylor (artist), Stephen Williamson (Curator, Araluen Arts Centre) and facilitated by art critic, curator and writer Rodney James.
Gallery
John Borrack is Australia’s foremost and longstanding watercolour painter, with over 70 solo exhibitions to his credit, and inclusion in major group exhibitions in Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong and the United States of America.
A former lecturer in painting and drawing at Melbourne State College (University of Melbourne) 1969 to 1982, John has studied and painted extensively in France, Spain, U.K., Italy (1964, 1975, 1982, 1999) and USA (1993, 1995). Since 1982 he has painted full-time, working in watercolour, gouache and oil.
John’s work is represented in public collections Australia-wide including the National Gallery of Victoria, Queensland Art Gallery, Maritime Art Gallery & Museum, Northern Territory (MAGNT), Bendigo Art Gallery, Australian National University, Brisbane Institute of Technology, Deakin University, Geelong Art Gallery, Banyule City Council and City of Whittlesea.
He is represented in major corporate collections including Alco, BHP Billiton, Pacific Dunlop, National Australia Bank and Qantas, and other prestigious private collections worldwide including Royal Palace, Jaipur India and Royal Collection, Tonga.
John Borrack has been the subject of two books and four major survey exhibitions – at the City of Whittlesea, Gippsland Art Gallery, Castlemaine Art Gallery & Historical Museum and Bundoora Homestead Art Centre. His exhibition, In Praise of Landscape. was held at Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale in 2022, using the same title as the most comprehensive monograph on his work published to date.
Featured Artwork 1: John Borrack, Finke River Landscape, 2000-2020 Oil on Canvas 91x122cm
Featured Artwork 2: John Borrack, Desert Sundown and Monolith, N.T. 1978 watercolour on paper 76 x 102cm
Dates
Times
Exhibition Opening + Morning Tea
Friday, 19 June @ 10.30am
Atrium Foyer (adjacent to Gallery 3)
Q&A Symposium
Saturday, 20 June @ 10.30am
Gallery 3
Exhibition Duration
19 June 2026 - 26 July 2026
Opening Hours
(1 March to 31 October)
Open 10am to 4pm | 7 days
Prices
Adult
$8
Concession
$6
Family Pass
$20
Free for NT residents
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