Cars have inspired everything from Hollywood blockbusters to fashion and fine art, and a new exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia will explore their enduring influence on popular culture.

Opening in Canberra on December 5, Full Throttle brings together more than 200 works by over 60 Australian and international artists, examining the automobile as both a practical invention and a powerful cultural symbol.

Running until April 11, 2027, the free exhibition takes inspiration from the Mad Max films, exploring how cars have shaped our identities, lifestyles and imaginations.

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Among its centrepieces is a specially commissioned Mad Max montage by filmmaker George Miller, alongside an extraordinary collection of automotive-inspired artworks spanning sculpture, painting, photography, fashion and video.

Highlights include a monumental woven Toyota HiLux created by the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, a cigarette-covered Jaguar by British artist Sarah Lucas and ceramic Holden sculptures by Australian artist Margaret Dodd.

Photographer Trent Parke’s celebrated Bathurst series also features, alongside Patricia Piccinini’s unusual Vespa-inspired sculptures.

Australian artist Billy Bain has created a large-scale beach carpark scene featuring a ute constructed from recycled timber, accompanied by ceramic figures.

Other works include an unconventional luxury car interpretation by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm, painted automotive bodywork by American artist Judy Chicago and fashion creations by Thierry Mugler and Moschino.

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First Nations artists are prominently represented, including Robert Fielding and Gaypalani Waṉambi, whose works transform discarded automotive components and road signs into statements about Australia’s landscape and culture.

A newly commissioned painting by Kaylene Whiskey reimagines a vintage Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome billboard through her distinctive colourful, comic-book-inspired style.

National Gallery Director Nick Mitzevich said the exhibition examines the automobile as one of the defining symbols of modern life.

The exhibition also includes a four-part film series, podcast, accompanying publication and interactive installation.

Curated by Mitzevich and Beatrice Thompson, Full Throttle promises an unconventional perspective on Australia’s longstanding relationship with cars, from suburban driveways and racetracks to the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max.

Full Throttle: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, December 5, 2026 – April 11, 2027. Free admission.

(Main image: Narelle Autio, Sweet Ride, 2004, from the series ‘Into the distance’, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, purchased 2026, © Narelle Autio, Courtesy of the artist and Hugo Michell Gallery and Michael Reid Galleries)