Full Story Australian politics The American painting that sparked an Australian culture war – Full Story podcast When Jackson Pollock painted Blue Poles, his masterpiece of American abstract expressionism, little did he know it would become one of Australia’s most fascinating political controversies. The piece ensnared everyone from Gough Whitlam to the shah of Iran, only to end up in Canberra’s National Gallery as a symbol of our nation’s burgeoning modernity.
With the news that Blue Poles is relocating from Canberra to Perth, Guardian Australia’s political editor, Tom McIlroy , speaks to Rafqa Touma about the colliding worlds of art and politics featured in his book, Blue Poles: Jackson Pollock, Gough Whitlam and the painting that changed a nation
More ways to listen Apple podcasts Spotify RSS Feed Download Presented by Rafqa Touma with Tom McIlroy ; produced by Cheyne Anderson and Lu Hill , who also did sound design; the executive producer was Molly Glassey Sun 30 Aug 2026 17.00 CEST Last modified on Sun 30 Aug 2026 22.02 CEST Share Read more:
‘More bodyguards than Frank Sinatra’: When Blue Poles first toured, it was met with street protests. Now it’s crossing Australia