The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is betting big on Indigenous art for 2026—and with Tony Albert's largest exhibition to date leading the charge, director Suzanne Cotter is confident Sydney audiences will respond.
"Not a Souvenir," opening May 21 and running through October 19, promises to be what Cotter calls "a very maximalist show, very generous." The acclaimed First Nations artist will present painting, sculpture, craft, and photography, including a new series of portraits featuring young First Nations people as superheroes.
"It's a bit of a takeover with a lot of fun, humour, and seriousness as he takes back Indigenous cultural property," Cotter explained.
The announcement comes a year after the MCA reintroduced paid admission following a decade of free entry, prompted by a $2.6 million deficit from rising costs and stagnating government funding. Despite the change, Cotter reports onsite attendance figures remain "comparable" to 2024—a validation of the museum's programming approach.
"That's wonderful because we know there is an appetite to come here," she said. "We are deepening our thinking about how we engage the public."
Data showing 40 percent of international and domestic tourists are eager to see more contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art informed the programming decision. The exhibition follows a legacy of major MCA solo shows dedicated to First Nations artists including Tracey Moffatt, Destiny Deacon, and Richard Bell.
The 2026 program also features West Australian First Nations artist John Prince Siddon creating a massive surrealist piece for the museum's entrance in April. A special exhibition will mark 10 years of the MCA's acquisition partnership with London's Tate Modern, displaying significant bark paintings and other works from their joint collections.
To reintegrate the gallery into the "rhythm of the city," Cotter is reintroducing late-night openings, extending hours during Vivid Sydney, and offering Telstra-sponsored free ticket days.
"The MCA's job is to set the pace and to introduce to the public the art superstars of the future," she said, noting the museum showed Yayoi Kusama in 2006 and Louise Bourgeois in 1996—both now commanding international blockbusters.