Exhibition: Max Dupain and Ansel Adams – In search of perfection

Max Dupain (Australia, 1911–1992) and Ansel Adams (USA, 1902–1984) shaped the visual identity of their respective nations through the lens of modernist photography. Though working on opposite sides of the Pacific, they shared a profound commitment to formal clarity, tonal precision, and the expressive potential of light. 

This exhibition brings Dupain’s iconic modernist studies of Australia’s built environments together with Adams’ majestic portrayals of the American wilderness in a compelling and illuminating pairing. These images are shown alongside works by their peers, including portraits and still lifes, to contextualise their place the development of twentieth-century photography. 

Max Dupain and Ansel Adams: In search of perfection is a National Gallery Touring Exhibition presented as part of the Bowness Family Foundation Photography Touring Program. Curator: Anne O’Hehir, Curator, Photography. 

Bayside Gallery, Brighton, Victoria until 30 August 2026