Donated by artists Yvonne and Arthur Boyd, the sprawling Bundanon estate covers 1000 hectares of bush and parkland on the South Coast of NSW. It is also one of the country’s most significant cultural hubs, this year presenting a special showcase of work by the incredible women of the Boyd dynasty. 

Running from 22 November 2025 to 15 February 2026, the landmark exhibition The Hidden Line: Art of the Boyd Women will encompass five generations of artists from within the prolific Boyd family, sharing an array of more than 300 works. 

Comprising a diverse range of mediums such as sculpture, ceramics, pottery and photography, the three-month exhibition draws from Bundanon’s own inventory of works, including previously unseen works from the Bundanon Collection. In addition, the exhibition incorporates key loans from other major national collections, such as the National Gallery of Victoria and the National Gallery of Australia.

On display are vibrant, creative talents within Australia’s rich artistic history, and all descendants of the influential Boyd family. Works by Emma Minnie a’Beckett Boyd, Lady Mary Nolan, Yvonne Boyd, Lucy Boyd Beck and Hermia Boyd will be shown, as well as a selection of pieces by their heirs still practising today, such as Lucy Boyd and Polly Boyd. 

Polly Boyd, Merric Boyd sculptures by his granddaughter, 1980-81, oil on board. Courtesy of the Bundanon Collection.

A key highlight of the new exhibition will be the presentation of eight new commissions by fresh voices within Australian arts, from Pat Brassington, Elizabeth Dunn, Diena Georgetti, Helen Johnson and others.

A celebration of Australian artistic prestige 

The exhibition’s opening weekend, on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 November, will grant attendees free access to the presented works, as well as a range of interactive panels and workshops. The artists presenting their work will be available for discussion and open questions, exploring their creative influences, as well as the enduring legacy of the Boyd artistic dynasty. 

A hands-on workshop led by multidisciplinary artist Sarah Goffman will be a particular highlight, as well as a concert performance by a Norwegian chamber ensemble led by composer Benedicte Maurseth, incorporated as part of the Boyd Music Series. 

Visitors to the vast Bundanon estate – donated in a significant philanthropic gesture by Yvonne and Arthur Boyd in 1993 – are also able to book Stay Weekends at the site, an overnight residency that features a rich immersion in art, nature and culture across an exclusive program that invites deep connection with the rural New South Wales landscape. 

Celia Perceval, Tending the flower farm near Dural, 1994-95, oil on board. Courtesy of the Bundanon Collection.

Capping off the celebrations, a new publication will launch alongside The Hidden Line: Art of the Boyd Women, with essays and analytical texts by Dr Helen Hughes, Jennifer Higgie, Anne Ryan and Professor Lisa Slade, exploring the work of the Boyd women and how it continues to shape Australian arts today. 

A long-lasting creative contribution

In selecting the pieces for this important showcase, curator Sophie O’Brien says the exhibition offers an invitation to reconsider the future of the Boyd legacy.

“Yvonne Boyd was a driving force in the creation of Bundanon as the organisation it is today – politically, environmentally and in her support for artists,” O’Brien says. “The Hidden Line honours the women artists whose commitment to the creative spirit, in themselves and in others, runs through the history of Australian art.”

The ripple effects of this historical impact are felt to this day, with a new wave of Australian artists entering the Bundanon residence each year. “The new commissions in the exhibition reflect this active engagement with artistic practice, resting at the heart of Bundanon,” O’Brien explains.

Yvonne Boyd, Melbourne Tram, 1944, oil on muslin on cardboard. Courtesy of the Bundanon Collection.

Among the highlights of the upcoming exhibition are striking watercolour studies by Emma Minnie a’Beckett Boyd (1858-1936), one of the few female artists of the period to enjoy a full-time artistic practice, with the support of her mother Emma Mills; and Yvonne Boyd’s powerful 1944 work Melbourne Tram, depicting a feminine-centred counterpoint to the overwhelmingly masculine depictions of wartime Australia. 

Also of note are Mary Nolan’s dynamic black-and-white photographs of family life in Australia, Italy, the UK and France, many of which have never previously been exhibited. A series of paintings by Lucy and Polly Boyd are also key demonstrations of how the Boyd artistic legacy passes through generations, perpetuating a vibrant creative inheritance. 

As Bundanon CEO Rachel Kent says, “We are thrilled to present this deep exploration into the Boyd women’s creative practices across generations. Too often in art history, women are remembered as subjects rather than makers; this important exhibition recentres the women of this iconic artistic family as prolific creators, whose inheritance resonates today, embodied in the gift of Bundanon – a place dedicated to ongoing creativity and cultural connection.” 

Lead image: Orpheus and Eurydice, c1974-79, by Lucy Boyd Beck, glazed stoneware painting. Courtesy of the Bundanon Collection.

Related: The Walls Around Us competition by the Robin Boyd Foundation, an invitation to reflect on the architect’s legacy