The Field, held August 21–September 28, 1968, was the inaugural exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria’s new premises on St Kilda Road, launched by the director of London’s Tate gallery, Norman Reid, before an audience of 1000 invitees. Hailed then, and regarded since as a landmark exhibition in Australian art history, it presented the first comprehensive display of colour field painting and abstract sculpture in the country in a radical presentation,[1] between silver foil–covered walls and under geometric light fittings, of 74 works by 40 artists. All practised hard-edge, geometric, colour and flat abstraction, often in novel media including coloured or transparent plastic, fluorescent acrylic paints, steel and chrome. The art was appropriate to a launch of the new venue itself,