Ian Armstrong: Familial lines
Victorian Artists Society

• Address: 430 Albert St, East Melbourne, VIC
• Dates: 26 May – 8 June 2026
• Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-4pm / Weekends 11am-4pm

Familial Lines is a selection of family portraits by Ian Armstrong (1923-2005), focusing particularly on his daughter Maggie. The exhibition offers the viewer a rare insight into Armstrong’s many styles and varied use of the visual medium, applied to a single theme.

Delve into Armstrong’s preoccupation with painting the human face and figure with emotion and honesty.  

Armstrong’s unique ability to see beyond surface appearances, with an understanding and empathy for his subject, is manifest in his portraits. The paintings and drawings on display capture the strength, vulnerability, complexities, and simplicity in the sitter.

His portraits stand apart from the celebrity focused portraiture of his time, which often emphasised notoriety over authenticity. The many portraits of his family combine traditional portrait composition with Armstrong’s signature flowing line and confident use of colour.

Familial Lines reveals Armstrong’s mastery of drawing which found enduring expression in the domestic setting.