From kitschy souvenirs to major contemporary artworks, Tony Albert is taking a fresh look at the way Aboriginal people and culture have been represented and sold in Australia. His largest exhibition yet, Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir, is now on at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, bringing together more than 150 works by the Girramay, Kuku Yalanji and Yidinji artist, spanning sculpture, photography, installation, painting and works made from collected objects, alongside major pieces created especially for the show. But with the October 19 closing date approaching, there are only a few weeks left to see it. The MCA's Sydney Harbour location plays a role in it too. Sitting at Tallawoladah near The Rocks, the museum is surrounded by a part of Sydney with a long history of encounters between First Nations peoples and colonists, as well as a present-day reputation for tourism and souvenir shopping. Albert draws on that setting to explore the ways Aboriginal culture has been portrayed and packaged for tourists. [caption id="attachment_1140951" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2026, photograph: Jessica Maurer[/caption] Central to the exhibition is Albert's personal collection of more than 2500 pieces of Aboriginalia. The term refers to mass-produced objects that depict Aboriginal people and cultures through stereotypical imagery, many of which were made and sold throughout Australia during the 20th century. Albert has been collecting these objects for decades, and they have become an important part of his artistic practice. Rather than simply putting them on display, he brings them into new works that play with their original meaning, using colour, humour and familiar imagery to question the ideas they have carried with them. And you might even have a piece of that history sitting in your own home. Alongside the exhibition, Albert and the MCA have launched the Aboriginalia Appeal, inviting the public to donate found, inherited or collected objects that feature inaccurate or stereotypical representations of Aboriginal people and cultures. [caption id="attachment_1140930" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2026, photograph: Jessica Maurer[/caption] A dedicated collection point at the MCA means you can bring along those objects that have been sitting in a cupboard, passed down through the family or picked up somewhere along the way. The donations will feed into Albert's ongoing work with Aboriginalia, giving these objects a different place and purpose. There are also several ways to experience it before it closes, including a remaining curator tour on Thursday, September 17 and MCA Loves Tony Albert on Thursday, September 24. The museum-wide celebration of Albert, the exhibition, community and emerging artists will feature live music from Vv Pete and more, a hands-on activity inspired by Albert's work and a guest appearance from the artist himself — with 2-for-1 tickets available. And if you can't make those dates, MCA Late runs every Thursday from 5–9pm, with 2-for-1 tickets available to see the exhibition after hours. Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir is on at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia from Thursday, May 21–Monday, October 19, 2026. For more information, visit the MCA Australia website. Images: Jessica Maurer / Ravyna Jassani