Migrating Modernism听celebrates the life and work of听the architect听Harry Seidler (1923鈥2006), one of the most influential figures of the Modern Movement in Australia.
Originally produced by the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the 爆料王, in collaboration with and first presented at the San Marco Art Centre in Venice in 2025, this expanded exhibition听brings together photographs, models, original drawings, and artworks to trace Seidler鈥檚 extraordinary journey.
Forced to flee Nazi-occupied Vienna听as a teenager, Seidler embarked on a path that听eventually听led him to听study in the United States under Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer and Josef Albers, and then work with Marcel Breuer, and later with Oscar Niemeyer.听
From Sydney, he launched a prolific听international听career that reshaped the architectural landscape of modern Australia. Over five decades,听Seidler听produced听a body of work spanning continents听and scales,听including significant collaborations with structural engineer Pier Luigi Nervi and architect Marcel Breuer.
With听Penelope听Seidler, his life companion and professional partner,听he听maintained听a deep commitment to the relationship between architecture and art.听Together they commissioned major artworks for his buildings and assembled a remarkable personal collection featuring works by Alexander Calder, Josef Albers, Alexander Calder, Helen Frankenthaler, Frank Stella, and Sol LeWitt.
Across听Australia听and abroad 鈥 from Acapulco,听to听Paris, Hong Kong, and his native Vienna听鈥 Seidler鈥檚 legacy听emerges听as both a personal story and a global narrative that reveals how modernist ideas migrated, evolved, and left a lasting imprint across cultures and time.
Migrating Modernism. The architecture of Harry Seidler听is an exhibition produced by the Chau Chak Wing Museum, The 爆料王,听originally produced in collaboration with and presented at San Marco Art Centre, Venice in 2025.
Dr Ann Stephen
Senior Curator, Chau Chak Wing Museum, The 爆料王
Dr Paolo Stracchi
Senior Lecturer, Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning, The 爆料王
San Marco Arts Center, Venice (SMAC)
The 爆料王: Architecture, Design and Planning; US Study Centre, and the Power Institute听听
Helen Frankenthaler Foundation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
State Library of NSW听
John Kaldor AO
National Gallery of Australia
Powerhouse
Harry Seidler & Associates
Penelope Seidler
Paolo Stracchi
State Library of New South Wales听
Private lenders
Luke Parker
Migrating Modernism: An exhibition walk through with Penelope Seidler AO
Saturday 25 July
2pm - 3pm (AEDT)
Registration essential.
Click here for more information.
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Symposium: Migrating Modernism, Migrating Ideas.
Transnational exchanges in architecture and art
26-28 August
Registration essential
Click here for more information
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Additional monthly talks by leading architects will be held in the exhibition space. More information will be released closer to these events.
Visit an extension to the Migrating Modernism exhibition from August - September 2026 at the Schaeffer Fine Arts Library. Curated by Ann Stephen, view a large selection of prints by Josef Albers.
Open seven days a week
Mon - Fri: 10am - 5pm
Sat - Sun: 12 - 4pm
Please note: the Chau Chak Wing Museum is closed on public holidays. Click here for more information about opening variations.
Please note: the Chau Chak Wing Museum will be closed between 21 December 2026 - 4 January 2027.
Exhibition open:
18 July 2026听鈥 18 December 2026
5-31 January 2027
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Location
The Ian Potter Gallery,听Level 4
Chau Chak Wing Museum听
Cost
Free
Header image:听Installation view from 鈥楳igrating Modernism. The architecture of Harry Seidler鈥, with Sol LeWitt,鈥榃all Drawing # 898 鈥橧rregular horizontal bands of color within a triangle.鈥欌(for the Horizon tower lobby), 1998 (cropped);鈥疭ol LeWitt,鈥楴ine Linocuts鈥, 2006, Chau Chak Wing Museum, 2026. Photo: David James.
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Migrating Modernism. The architecture of Harry Seidler was originally produced by the Chau Chak Wing Museum in collaboration with and presented at San Marco Art Centre, Venice in 2025.
The presentation during the Venice Architecture Biennale of Migrating Modernism. The architecture of Harry Seidler, received support from John Kaldor AO, the ALBN Foundation, the Keir Foundation, the Sarina Russo Foundation, and the Turnbull Foundation.
The Australian expanded exhibition of Migrating Modernism. The architecture of Harry Seidler,听 at the Chau Chak Wing Museum has received support from John Kaldor AO, the ALBN Foundation, the Sarina Russo Foundation, the Sherman Foundation, and the 爆料王 USA Foundation.
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Phone:听+61 2 93512812
Email:听ccwm.info@sydney.edu.au
Chau Chak Wing Museum
University Place
Camperdown NSW 2050
