NGV International opens exhibition on Women Photographers, 1900–1975

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) International has opened Women Photographers 1900–1975: A Legacy of Light, an exhibition showcasing over 300 works by women photographers from the twentieth century.

The display includes photographs, prints, photobooks, postcards, and magazines, with more than 130 items on public view for the first time.

The exhibition features well-known photographers such as Diane Arbus, Dora Maar, Lee Miller, Dorothea Lange, and Olive Cotton, alongside lesser-known figures including Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore, Lola Álvarez Bravo, and Ponch Hawkes.

Works span portraiture, photojournalism, landscape, fashion, and experimental photography, reflecting social, political, and cultural developments from 1900 to 1975.

Key pieces include Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother, Dora Maar’s portraits of Pablo Picasso, Olive Cotton’s Teacup Ballet, 1935, Ilse Bing’s self-portraits, Lee Miller’s portrait of Man Ray, and Ponch Hawkes’ images of Melbourne’s inner-city life in the 1970s.

NGV Director Tony Ellwood said the exhibition highlights historically underrepresented areas of the NGV collection and provides an opportunity to view both familiar and lesser-known photographers.

The exhibition runs until 3 May 2026. Tickets and further information are available at ngv.melbourne.