The Facts
On September 29, 2026, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the National Gallery of Australia announced a reciprocal loan agreement. Edvard Munch's 'Man with horse' (1918) will be on loan from the National Gallery to the Art Gallery, while Njideka Akunyili Crosby's 'Na Parlour (In the parlor)' (2025) will travel to the National Gallery. The Munch painting, gifted to the National Gallery in 2024 by Geoff Ainsworth AM, is now on display at the Art Gallery until April 2027. The Akunyili Crosby work, acquired by the Art Gallery in 2025 with funds from Ainsworth and Johanna Featherstone, is on view until May 9, 2027, before moving to Canberra. It is the first work by the artist to enter an Australian collection.
The Signal
The partnership reflects how philanthropy can enable cross-institutional sharing of important artworks. The Munch loan offers a rare public viewing of a work largely held privately since 1938, while the Akunyili Crosby acquisition signals growing Australian interest in contemporary artists of the African diaspora. The collaboration between Sydney and Canberra institutions sets a model for expanding audience access to world-class art.
- Artists: Edvard Munch, Njideka Akunyili Crosby
- People: Maud Page, Nick Mitzevich, Geoff Ainsworth, Johanna Featherstone
- Museums: Art Gallery of New South Wales, National Gallery of Australia
- Locations: Sydney, Canberra
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