Australian Icons salutes 20 great Australian artists whose works are extensively represented in the Art Gallery's permanent collection. For the public this will be the opportunity to re-acquaint, or see for the first time, many of the finest works of art ever produced in Australia. This major exhibition is part of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Arts Festival.

The 20 artists selected by Barry Pearce, head curator of Australian Art at the Art Gallery, are Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, George W. Lambert, Bertram Mackennal, Margaret Preston, Grace Cossington Smith, William Dobell, Russell Drysdale, Lloyd Rees, Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, John Olsen, Brett Whiteley, Robert Klippel, Mawalan Marika, Munggurrawuy Yunupingu, John Passmore, Fred Williams, Ian Fairweather. Each artist will be represented in a room designed to reflect the ambience of their vision, their style and their story with the very finest of their works which the Gallery has acquired. As well as paintings, watercolours, drawings, prints, sketchbooks and sculpture will be included.