ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Arthur Boyd's Nebuchadnezzar series debuts at Bundanon in major exhibition

exhibition · 2026-07-06

Bundanon Art Museum presents the first large-scale exhibition of Arthur Boyd's Nebuchadnezzar series since the late 1960s. The hallucinatory paintings depict the Babylonian king's downfall and exile, inspired by Boyd's horror at the Vietnam War and self-immolation protests. Created while the Australian artist lived in London, the works show a figure transformed into a clawed beast, wandering a tormented wilderness. The exhibition confronts visitors with surreal, nightmarish visions charged with anguish.

Key facts

  • First large-scale presentation of Arthur Boyd's Nebuchadnezzar series since the late 1960s
  • Exhibition held at Bundanon Art Museum
  • Paintings chronicle the downfall of Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar
  • Series inspired by Boyd's horror at the Vietnam War and self-immolation protests
  • Boyd created the works while living in London in the late 1960s
  • Paintings depict a figure transformed into a clawed, feathered beast
  • Themes include hubris, punishment, and exile
  • Exhibition described as 'not for the faint-hearted'

Entities

Artists

  • Arthur Boyd

Institutions

  • Bundanon Art Museum

Locations

  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • Bundanon
  • Australia

Sources