Arthur Boyd’s Return to the Wilderness

Drawing on Stuart Purves first-hand experience of exhibiting and supporting Arthur Boyd’s practice, the discussion explores the significance of Boyd’s Nebuchadnezzar works within his broader career, including their engagement with myth, exile and the human condition. This conversation offers insight into the relationships and contexts that shaped the making and presentation of one of Boyd’s most important bodies of work, and its place in Australian art history.

Stuart Purves is Director of Australian Galleries, one of Australia’s longest-running commercial galleries, founded in Melbourne in 1956 by his parents, Tam and Anne Purves. He joined the gallery in 1966 and has played a central role in its development over more than five decades, working closely with leading Australian artists across generations, including Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Fred Williams and John Olsen. Under his leadership, Australian Galleries has expanded nationally, developed major exhibition programs and maintained long-standing relationships with artists and estates. Purves has been recognised for his contribution to the arts in Australia, including being awarded the Order of Australia (AM).