2026 Megaw lecture

Sons and Sisters: the HERitage of Namatjira

Presented by Professor Lisa Slade

Hugh Ramsay Chair in Australian Art History
University of Melbourne

Sons and Sisters: the HERitage of Namatjira

To coincide with the launch of the revised, and expanded, publication The Heritage of Namatjira Professor Lisa Slade will reframe the legacy of this central desert art movement with a focus on the work of women artists. Spanning early mission-era production, the celebrated mid-century watercolours of Cordula Ebatarinja and the contemporary re-visions of Vanessa Inkamala, the lecture will examine the critical role of women artists in one of Australia's greatest art movements. Lisa will draw upon the collections of the Art Gallery of South Australia, including selected works currently on display, and works from the Flinders University Museum of Art collection.

Professor Lisa Slade

Professor Lisa Slade is the Hugh Ramsay Chair in Australian Art History at the University of Melbourne.

Formerly Assistant Director, Artistic Programs at the Art Gallery of South Australia, she has curated landmark exhibitions nationally and internationally, including the acclaimed 2024 survey Vincent Namatjira: Australia in colour. A prolific author and national advocate for artists, art history and cultural heritage, Slade is also an accomplished broadcaster, mentor and educator. Her work is distinguished by its ability to bring diverse art histories into dialogue with contemporary art and ideas, while championing the leadership and perspectives of First Nations artists and communities.

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