Richard Lewer’s STEVE Will Begin National Tour In Regional South Australia

The National Gallery of Australia will take a work by Richard Lewer exploring memory and the impact of dementia on family on a three-year tour to communities across Australia.

Following its presentation at the National Gallery in Kamberri/Canberra, Richard Lewer: Steve opens at Port Pirie Regional Art Gallery, SA on 28 August 2026. The National Gallery Touring Exhibition will then travel to Redcliffe Art Gallery, Qld; Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW; Tweed Regional Gallery, NSW; Manningham Art Gallery, Vic; John Curtin Gallery, WA; and Ngununggula, NSW.

Naarm/Melbourne-based Lewer is a visual storyteller with a longstanding interest in the relationship between art and health, well known for his paintings, drawings and moving image works that focus on the complexities of the human condition. Acquired for the national collection in 2024, Steve is one of Lewer's most significant bodies of work, suggesting memory as a phenomenon that is both complex and inherently fragile.

In a stop-animation film comprising thousands of table-top paintings, photos and Super 8 footage, Lewer gently tells the story of a man named Steve as he and his family navigate his dementia diagnosis.

The work is named after Steve Rollis who Lewer met 10 years ago while working with his son Peter Rollis at a boxing gym Lewer ran in Naarm/Melbourne's north. Cleaning up at closing time, Peter shared with Lewer his family's journey throughout his father Steve's experience with Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia. Narrated by Peter and Steve's wife, Christina, the film offers a deeply personal account of the changes, challenges and moments of connection experienced by families living with dementia, Australia's current leading cause of death.

Presented alongside the video work are 14 paintings of memories drawn from Lewer's life including his first car, a trip with art school friends to Milton, his dad in hospital, Lewer's favourite family cat, Toffee, and more. Painted directly onto domestic Laminex tabletops, the works symbolically reflect on the table as a place where everyday life unfolds — where families gather, dinners are held, bills are paid, stories are shared, and significant moments are remembered.

The tour follows Lewer's recent win of the 2026 Archibald Prize for his portrait of senior Pitjantjatjara artist Iluwanti Ken.

Richard Lewer: 'Every now and again, as an artist, a special moment comes along that allows you to make a work that will touch so many people lives, and for that moment perhaps they don't feel so alone. I think the thing that will happen when people view the work, which is a celebration of Steve's life, is they'll probably think of their own parents, an uncle, or an aunty.'

Elspeth Pitt, Senior Curator, Australian Art, National Gallery: 'Richard Lewer's practice transforms personal stories, collective memory and everyday experience into deeply human narratives, balancing humour, vulnerability and social observation with remarkable empathy. Steve is a moving exploration of the impacts of dementia, and we look forward to sharing it with regional Australians through the national tour.'

As part of the national tour of Richard Lewer: Steve, the National Gallery is supporting regional partners to build capability to engage their local communities through the delivery of art and dementia programs. This approach is informed by the National Gallery's Art and Dementia program, which connects people living with dementia and their care partners with art in enriching ways. Research has demonstrated that the National Gallery's Art and Dementia program provides a range of benefits including improvements in quality of life, wellbeing, and cognitive performance, and a reduction in depressive symptoms for people living with dementia.

Dr Nick Mitzevich, Director, National Gallery: 'Richard Lewer's Steve is a deeply moving work of art that speaks to experiences shared by many Australian families. Through our Art Across Australia program, we are proud to bring this important touring exhibition and workshops to communities across the country and create opportunities for meaningful conversations about memory, care and connection.'

DATES AND VENUES

Port Pirie Regional Art Gallery, SA | 28 Aug – 8 Nov 2026

Redcliffe Art Gallery, Qld | 21 Nov 2026 – 21 Feb 2027

Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW | 6 Mar – 13 Jun 2027

Tweed Regional Gallery, NSW | 3 Sep – 28 Nov 2027

Manningham Art Gallery, VIC | 10 Dec 2027 – 1 Apr 2028

John Curtin Gallery, WA | 14 Apr – 23 Jul 2028

Ngununggula, NSW | 5 Aug – 8 Oct 2028

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