Art Gallery of New South Wales

annual report 2009 –10

1 With over 1.28 million visitors during 2009–10, the Art Gallery of NSW continues to be one of Australia’s most popular art museums and is a vital part of Sydney’s cultural life. This year, the Gallery presented 31 exhibitions, accompanied by a diverse and stimulating array of public and education programs. Since the Gallery’s genesis in the 1870s, our objective has been to collect and present to the public the finest works of art available, with a special emphasis on the artistic traditions of Australia. The Gallery has been located at our present site in Sydney’s Domain parkland since 1885. The Grand Courts, refreshed and relaunched in September 2009, were the very first rooms of the Gallery, originally built between 1895 and 1899 in typically grand Victorian style and scale. These elegant rooms now house our premier collections of European art, from the Renaissance to Impressionism, and Australian art, from colonisation to the end of the 19th century, along with a selection of 20th-century Aboriginal art. The building extensions made to the Gallery in the 1970s and ’80s responded to the changing needs of both the collection and our audience, doubling the available exhibition space and celebrating the art of our times with extensive displays of modern and contemporary art, including the Yiribana Gallery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Currently under construction to be officially launched in May 2011, a further 1676 square metres of display space will be allocated to contemporary art. The beautiful and contemplative Asian galleries, expanded in 2003, affirm the Gallery’s commitment to presenting the art and culture of our region.

Front and back covers: Installation and display of Sidney Nolan First-class marksman 1946, Ripolin enamel on hardboard, 90.2 x 121.2 cm. Purchased with funds provided by the Gleeson O’Keefe Foundation 2010 © The Trustees of the Sidney Nolan Trust. Photos: Carley Wright. Opposite: Tony Clark Pseudotapeten landscape (tree and waterfall) 2006, acrylic on unstretched canvas, 840 x 210 cm. On loan from the artist. Courtesy of Murray White Room, Melbourne and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney. Installed in the Gallery vestibule for Wilderness.

2 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Art Gallery of New South Wales Annual Report 2009–10

Art Gallery of New South Wales annual report 2009 –10

Contents

Vision, purpose, corporate plan 2010–15 5 Year in brief 6 President’s foreword 10 Director’s statement 12 Sharing 16 Engaging 34 Stewarding 50 Collecting 72 Appendices 85 Financial statements 115 Index 148

Vision, purpose, corporate plan 2010 –15

Who we are Since the Gallery’s genesis in the 1870s, our central and enduring The Hon Virginia Judge MP purpose has been to collect, care for and present to the public ‘the Minister for Fair Trading, finest works of art available’.* Now, over 130 years on, we house Minister for the Arts Parliament House the single most encyclopaedic collection of art in Australia. Our Macquarie Street core purpose as expressed in the Gallery’s governing legislation SYDNEY NSW 200 remains as our guiding charter. In today’s parlance, we are ‘a keeping place’ but we are equally a place of experience. We aim to be a place for the community that welcomes and inspires. Through our collection, exhibitions, programs and research, the Gallery proposes to extend and enrich our visitors’ emotional and intellectual engagement with art.

Dear Minister * From the Art Gallery of New South Wales Act 1980. It is our pleasure to forward to you for presentation to the NSW Parliament the annual report for the Art Gallery of NSW Our vision for the year ended 30 June 2010. Put simply, the Gallery’s vision is to open people’s eyes and minds to the wonder, the richness and the sheer pleasure of art. This This report has been prepared in accordance with the vision guides our development and activities. provisions of the Annual Report (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Regulations 2010. Strategic direction From a platform of secure and strong governance, a sound financial base, ambitious recent achievements and record visitor numbers, our corporate plan’s strategic directions over the next Yours sincerely five years are focused in four broad priority areas – sharing, engaging, stewarding and collecting.

Sharing: to continue to improve access to our collection, our resources and our expertise through exhibitions, publishing, Steven Lowy Edmund Capon programs, new technologies and partnerships.

Engaging: to continue finding new and better ways of engaging President Director and chief curator audiences with the visual arts. Art Gallery of NSW Trust Stewarding: to nurture and develop the Gallery’s people, resources and assets; embrace our responsibility to lead and 22 October 2010 support the creation, enjoyment and understanding of the visual arts across NSW; and internationally remain tireless advocates for Australian art and artists.

Collecting: to strengthen and safeguard our collection through targeted acquisitions and best-practice collection management, research and conservation. As a museum of art Measuring our performance The Gallery’s corporate plan includes a number of performance we must be a place of measurement targets. A performance summary table and a more experience and inspiration. detailed report on our activities in each strategic priority area have been included as individual chapters within this annual report: Sharing, pp 16–33, Engaging, pp 34–49, Stewarding, pp 50–71 and Collecting, pp 72–84.

Previous: A free school holiday performance in the entrance court by the Etcetera Duo. Opposite: Installation view of Tatzu Nishi’s Kaldor Public Art Project, War and peace and in between 2009.

Vision, purpose, corporate plan 2010–15 5 year in brief highlights

In 2009–10, the Gallery successfully this year was split 77% to 23% for Paths to abstraction achieved many of our collection, free and paying shows respectively. 1867–1917 exhibition, access, participation, There were also over 266,616 visitors This major exhibition, developed by the resource and management goals, who participated in our public and Gallery, provided visitors with a unique including the development of our educational programs, which reflected opportunity to discover the work of an overall increase of more than 7% for some of the most influential artists of new corporate plan 2010–15. programmed activities. the modern area and to learn how they This year, the Gallery’s collection Perhaps one of the most ambitious changed the course of art. Through was further strengthened with the Gallery publications in recent years is over 150 pivotal works, on loan from 59 addition of 425 works, both gifted the Paths to abstraction 1867–1917 international museums, the exhibition and purchased, valued at $11.8 catalogue. Published here in Australia as revealed how abstract art emerged around million. well as in Europe and the United States, the world and how artists such as Monet, Our exhibition program presented 24 this large-scale book is the only title Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, Braque, new shows commencing in 2009–10, currently available that traces the origins Derain and Klee, experimenting with ranging from the ever-popular, annual of abstract art from Whistler to Kandinsky. colour and form, explored exciting new Archibald Prize to Tatzu Nishi’s surprising In total, during 2009–10, the Gallery ways of seeing and imaging. Kaldor Public Art Project, from the published eight major art books. sumptuous Rupert Bunny: artist in The Gallery’s financial position remained Collection store Paris to the bold Wilderness: Balnaves positive this year with the final net surplus The Gallery’s new 5000 square metre contemporary: painting show and, finally, being better than budget by $1.2 million, purpose-designed collection store, funded to our critically acclaimed major exhibition thereby avoiding the originally anticipated by the NSW government, commenced Paths to abstraction 1867–1917. core business deficit. This year the NSW operations in December 2009. The Total visitor numbers were over 1.28 government’s recurrent contribution building comprises six large collection million. This figure is down by about one- comprised 49% of our operating revenues storage rooms, a workshop, photography quarter from 2008–09’s 1.7 million visitors and will increase from next year with a studio and editing room, an enclosed as that year included the blockbuster significant grant of an additional $3 million loading dock, associated operational Monet and the Impressionists and two in operational funding from 2010–11. plant room, external air-handling unit and international touring exhibitions while the Summary details of several Gallery facilities for our staff now working on last 12 months have been disrupted by highlights for the 2009–10 year are site. The relocation project, which took major building works and the relocation of included here. four months and was completed without our collection storage. Visitor attendance incident, saw the transfer of 13,670 objects to the new store. The number of works packed and transported was unprecedented in the Gallery’s history. As a result, the safe and secure preservation We are, and have always of the thousands of unique and been, a living museum, irreplaceable artworks managed by the Gallery on behalf of the NSW community responsive and integral to is ensured for years to come. the spirit and the energy of the day.

6 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Sidney Nolan painting Open Gallery education Gallery’s collection in order to broaden In March 2010, the Gleeson O’Keefe program their experiences and understanding of Foundation provided funds to acquire Launch in April 2010 with the support of the world of art. Led by our volunteer a great Australian painting for the Optus, the Open Gallery program provides children’s guides, the children Gallery and the people of NSW – Sidney an opportunity for Year 7 students from experienced a variety of artworks with the Nolan’s First-class marksman 1946. Of priority-funded schools to spend a day aim of inspiring them to compose music the 27 panels that comprise this series at the Gallery free of charge, directly and then to perform their compositions. on the theme of the notorious outlaw engaging with visual art, particularly the In addition to guided tours, the children Ned Kelly, two iconic works distinguish Australian and Aboriginal collections. participated in special workshops led themselves – one of these is First-class Their visit includes a tour of the Gallery’s by Gallery educators, who visited them marksman. The work shows the isolated permanent galleries led by specially at Naamaroo conference centre in Lane figure of Kelly in the black, hard-edged trained Gallery educators, transport to and Cove National Park, and were also armour that is Nolan’s most marvellous from the Gallery, lunch, a fun performance mentored by a composer-in-residence pictorial invention, its flat shapes slabbed in the Yiribana Gallery from Ngununy from the Sydney Children’s Choir. The incongruously against a landscape of the cheeky fruit bat (one of our Gallery program will conclude in August and a great aerial delicacy, evoking perfectly the characters) and educational resources to performance is planned for the end of mood of alienation of its human story. This take back to school. 2010 in the Gallery’s Grand Courts. painting is a wonderful enhancement to the Gallery’s 20th-century Australian art Open Weekend collection. To celebrate the relaunch of our refurbished Grand Courts, the Gallery Left to right: Nepalese sculpture presented our inaugural ‘Open Weekend’ František Kupka Disks of Newton (Study of ‘Fugue in Two Colors’) 1912, oil on canvas, 100.3 x 73.7 on 12–13 September 2009. Over 6600 Another major acquisition for the Gallery cm. Philadelphia Museum of Art: the Louise and this year has been a Nepalese sculpture visitors discovered new ways of seeing Walter Arensberg Collection, 1950. © František of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, also and experiencing great works of art Kupka/ADAGP. Licensed by Viscopy, Australia. known as Padmapani or the Luminous during a weekend of over 50 free events From Paths to abstraction 1867–1917. Lord of Infinite Compassion, dating for the whole family. There were drawing The new collection store, built with funds from from around the 13th century. The softly workshops for children, tours of the the NSW government. glowing, elegant and resplendent figure, collection by curatorial staff and Australian Hon Virginia Judge, Minister for the Arts, on made of gilt copper, lapis lazuli, gems and and Indigenous artists, performances behalf of the people of NSW, thanks the Gleeson stones, radiates serene compassion. This and a live broadcast by ABC Radio over O’Keefe Foundation for the acquisition of the Sidney Nolan painting First-class marksman. sculpture is a masterpiece, embodying both days. The program appealed to the the sensuous elegance of form and broadest range of audiences, with many Detail of the Nepalese sculpture Padmapani c1200s. compelling spiritual presence that have visitors coming to the Gallery for the first established Nepalese metal sculptures time. Building on this success, the next Actor Russell Smith as Ngununy the cheeky fruitbat leads a tour for the Open Gallery Open Weekend will be held over the among the world’s universal iconic education program. statements. October 2010 long weekend. Gallery director Edmund Capon leads a tour of Sydney Children’s Choir the European collection, Open Weekend 2009. partnership The Sydney Children’s Choir partnership program began in January 2010. School children of all ages participated in an in- depth study of particular artworks in the

year in brief highlights 7 year in brief performance summary

Revenue 2009–10 Expenditure 2009–10 Net assets as at 30 June 2010 $60.2 million $37.2 million $1.049 billion

Bequests & special Government Other operating funds $9.5m 16% recurrent $13.3m 36% Land & building funding Personnel services $186.2m 18% $21.9m Merchandise sales $20.1m 54% $3.5m 6% 36% Admissions $1.9m 3% Bequests & special funds $30.8m 3%

Government capital funding Other revenue Insurance Collection $0.6m 2% $824.8m 79% Plant & equipment $15.5 26% $7.9m 13% Depreciation $3.2m 9% $6.9m 1%

The Gallery’s overall surplus for 2009–10 was of Financial Position in accordance with due to exhibitions and venue hire income being $23 million. This net surplus includes donations accounting standards. Thus the surplus does better than anticipated. The Gallery’s Statement which are restricted for the acquisition of not represent cash available to the Gallery for of Financial Position increased this year by $23 artworks and capital grants for building operational requirements. The operating net million as at 30 June 2010 with net assets now projects, with the associated assets increase surplus for 2009–10 was $0.563 million, which valued at $1.049 billion. of these activities reported in the Statement was $1.2 million better than budget, mainly

Rupert Bunny Dolce farniente c1897 (detail), oil on canvas, 98 x 130 cm. Private collection, Melbourne, courtesy of John Playfoot Fine Art.

8 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 UNIt note 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 Our financials Core business expenses $M -20.0 -22.5 -21.3 -22.3 -24.5 Government funding - recurrent & liabilities assumed $M 19.1 22.5 20.6 21.8 21.9 Net core business income (deficit) $M -0.9 0.0 -0.7 -0.5 -2.6 Exhibitions & visitor services net income $M 1 3.9 1.5 2.5 4.8 3.9 Bequest & special funds net income $M 2 11.3 15.4 5.4 19.6 9.5 Government funding - capital $M 3 1.8 5.4 13.6 5.8 15.5 Depreciation/other minor items $M -1.9 -1.8 -3.1 -2.1 -3.2 Surplus as per financial statements $M 14.1 20.5 17.7 27.5 23.0

Collection $M 4 628.7 781.7 795.0 813.2 824.8 Land & building $M 5 133.5 133.5 160.6 175.5 186.2 Plant, equipment & other $M 28.5 42.4 49.3 44.4 44.0 Total assets $M 790.7 957.6 1,004.9 1,033.1 1,055.0 Total liabilities $M 4.3 3.8 6.7 7.1 6.3 Net assets as per financial statements $M 786.4 953.8 998.2 1,026.0 1,048.7

Our people Number of employees (FTE) 6 210 208 220 236 227.1 Opening days lost to industrial disputes 7 0 0 0 0 0 Hours lost to industrial disputes per employee 0 0 0 0 0 Days lost for workers compensation per employee 0.38 0.10 0.00 0.16 0.37 Average days sick leave per employee 2.70 5.00 5.14 5.50 4.27 Staff turnover rate 8% 8% 10% 12% 9%

Our audiences Total number of visitors (incl participants) (000s) 1,690 1,302 1,354 1,706 1,283 General admission 1,257 1,179 1,149 1,313 1,004 Brett Whiteley Studio 8 10 10 9 10 touring exhibitions 8 425 113 195 384 269 Number of education program participants (000s) 9 91 104 104 92 85 primary 28 26 33 30 19 Secondary 57 73 67 58 62 teritary 7 5 4 4 5 Number of public program participants (excl students) (000s) 157 204 181 155 181

Our exhibitions Visitor numbers for paying exhibitions (Domain site only) 431 260 313 437 236 Visitor numbers for free exhibitions (Domain site only) 826 918 836 876 768 Number of exhibitions 52 38 40 43 31 Value of exhibition program ($M) 10 890 921 1,145 815 593

Our collections Number of collection objects acquired during year 585 442 467 504 425 Purchased 174 110 135 151 201 Gifted 411 332 332 353 224 Value of collection objects acquired during year ($M) 11 9.9 8.2 14.1 18.6 11.8 Data in this table has not been subject to audit.

Notes 1 Includes exhibitions and venue hire activities 8 Includes regional NSW, interstate, overseas tours; 2005–06 had four major shows that 2 Includes Trust funds with controlled purpose, much of it for acquisition of works of art travelled to multiple venues, most years have only two shows travelling. 3 Special government captial funding received from 2007–08 for projects in later years 9 due to temporary building works, the Gallery had the opportunity to trial a separate 4 the Gallery’s collection was externally valued in 2006–07 education entrance which allowed more students to be serviced from 2007 to 2009. 5 the Gallery’s building was revalued in 2007–08 10 Value reflects major Picasso (2002–03), Caravaggio (2003–04), Pissarro (2005–06), Arts of 6 full-time equivalent (FTE) number is a yearly average. Increases in 2008–09 mainly reflect Islam (2006–07), Monet (2008–09) exhibitions casuals for temporary exhibitions and the packing and relocation of the collection. 11 $16.4M Paul Cézanne painting purchased in 2008–09 – the most expensive work ever 7 the Gallery is open to the public 363 days per year (closed Good Friday and Christmas acquired by the Gallery Day). In 2008–09 it was also closed for half a day on 18 July 2008 for World Youth Day.

year in brief performance summary 9 PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD

Securing the future of large Indian paintings in a show titled Significant benefaction No responsibility weighs more heavily on Garden and cosmos: the royal paintings of The NSW community has always the Board of Trustees of the Art Gallery Jodhpur, as well as the regular exhibitions generously supported the Gallery, and of NSW than to plan and provide for the of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman this was the case again this year. The long-term success of the institution. Prizes and the Dobell Prize for Drawing. support of benefactors is integral to the It is true that the trustees are entrusted These exhibitions, as well as the Gallery’s ability to grow its collection and with many important tasks, including the success of other events held during the this year, we received $5.5 million from the governance of the Gallery and supporting year, generated 1.28 million visits. While Gleeson O’Keefe Foundation to purchase the director and his team to deliver on the number of visitors was down on the Sidney Nolan’s First-class marksman and short-term objectives. But the primary previous year, this was in part due to Ethel Carrick’s La marée haute a Saint- duty of the trustees is to ensure the temporary disruption caused by major Malô (High tide at St Malo). The Gallery viability of the Gallery and to think deeply building works and the relocation of the also acquired a gilt copper, 13th-century about what should be done to enable it to collection to the new storage facility. Nepalese sculpture of Padmapani or the make the most of its collection, to expand Luminous Lord of Infinite Compassion, that collection, and make it accessible to 2009–10 financial results due to generous contributions of $1 as wide an audience as possible. Despite this disruption, the Gallery million from the Art Gallery of NSW This year, I am pleased and very proud performed well financially during the Foundation and $1 million from the Art to report that we have more than fulfilled period. The Gallery’s operating result was Gallery Society of NSW with the balance that duty. $1.2 million better than budget, mainly of funds required provided by private In recent years, the trustees and due to the success of the exhibitions benefactors and Gallery acquisition funds. director have developed and refined plans program, and venue hire income being The role of the Foundation, and the for how the Gallery can be put on a more higher than anticipated. Art Gallery Society of NSW, is critical sustainable footing and have shared to the Gallery’s ability to grow its Art prizes these plans with the NSW government, collection and I would like to especially During the year, the trustees were called including in a number of meetings with the acknowledge the role of the chair of the upon to consider the circumstances Premier and the Minister for the Arts and Foundation, Rowena Danziger AM, for her surrounding the awarding of the Wynne their staff. continuing leadership. I would also like to Prize to Sam Leach for his painting One critical component of these plans acknowledge the president of the Society, Proposal for landscaped cosmos. Leach’s has been to establish a greater degree Professor Michael Feneley, whose term painting was found to bear a resemblance of certainty of government funding. This ended in June 2010, for his contribution in to a 17th-century Dutch landscape. year, the NSW government agreed to that role and for his support this year. The trustees responded to criticism that increase its recurrent base funding by $3 This year, yet again, benefactors the Leach painting was fundamentally million to $24.8 million per annum. continued to be generous in gifting a copy of another work by reviewing This is a permanent increase to the works. Major contributors this year the decision at the April board meeting. Gallery’s base funding and will enable included Geoff and Vicki Ainsworth; Following that meeting, the trustees the Gallery to absorb most of its core Gleeson O’Keefe Foundation; Balnaves acknowledged that, at the time of judging, operating costs without having to Foundation; John Kaldor and his family; they noted that Leach’s painting ‘had subsidise them through non-government, James Litchfield; and Fraser Hopkins. the light and air of a Dutch 17th-century one-off income sources. I would like to thank them for their landscape but also recognised and This watershed funding agreement continuing generosity. appreciated its quality and its mysterious comes at the same time as the opening implications of the natural world. In that of the new storage facility at Lilyfield – an Corporate sponsorship sense, it is an idealised landscape, one event with far-reaching consequences for Many businesses continue to recover where time and place are indistinct.’ the long-term success of the Gallery as it from the impact of the global financial The trustees concluded that what will free up much-needed gallery display crisis of the past couple of years but the might constitute an Australian landscape space as well as provide better storage Gallery was successful in attracting and was a matter of interpretation and had conditions for the valuable collection. retaining sponsorship of over $1.9 million changed enormously since the Wynne in 2009–10. Major exhibitions Prize was first awarded in 1897 and that I would like to thank our sponsors: As in previous years, the Gallery therefore the decision would stand. The ANZ, Delta Electricity, Ernst & Young, presented quality exhibitions during the trustees acknowledged that there would ING, J.P. Morgan, Macquarie, Optus, year, including a major retrospective, often be debate about the awarding of UBS, Clayton UTZ , Freehills, HSBS, Rupert Bunny: artist in Paris, which toured prestigious art prizes and that it was Hulsborch, Hyperion Asset Management, to Melbourne and, in July, to Adelaide; this debate that ensured a changing and Optimal Fund Management, Porter’s Paths to abstraction 1867–1917, which evolving interpretation of both the real and Original Paints, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, presented works on loan from 59 of the imagined landscape. Avant Card, JCDecaux, The Sydney most prestigious collections from around Morning Herald, City of Sydney and the world; and a remarkable collection Qantas Airways. I would like to thank past

10 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 president and life governor, David Gonski The year ahead Finance Sub-Committee and John Beard AC, chairman of the Sponsorship Sub- Next year’s program will continue the the Acquisitions and Loans and Sub- Committee, whose term ended this year, Gallery’s tradition of staging a rich and Committee. for his contribution in this capacity; and I diverse exhibition program and will I thank the Building Project Control would like to express my appreciation to include two shows from China: The first Group, chaired by Guido Belgiorno- Sandra McPhee for agreeing to assume emperor: China’s entombed warriors and Nettis and including former trustee and the role of chair of this committee. Homage to gods: ritual art from the Chu life governor John Morschel, for their The Gallery continues to receive Kingdom. contribution. support from members of the President’s In October 2010, the director and I This has been a most successful and Council and VisAsia Council, both of will be announcing the launch of a new productive year for the Gallery, and I look which contribute important funding for summer series of major international forward to working with my fellow trustees many of the Gallery’s programs as well as exhibitions exclusive to Sydney and the and the Gallery’s executive team during provide expert business advice. Art Gallery of NSW, which will include the what promises to be another challenging aforementioned exhibitions from China and exciting year ahead. Major building and security as well as shows on Pablo Picasso and upgrade program Francis Bacon. As mentioned earlier, in 2009–10 the Gallery completed the construction of the Thanks purpose-built collection storage facility I would like to take this opportunity to at Lilyfield on time and within budget. acknowledge the ongoing support of the The Gallery took possession of the store NSW government, and in particular to in November 2009 and the move of the thank former Premier, the Hon Nathan collections, some 13,500 objects, was Rees, the NSW Premier, the Hon Kristina completed in February 2010. To mark the Keneally, and Minister for Arts, the Hon occasion, the Board of Trustees held its Virginia Judge. first meeting for the year at the facility. I would also like to commend the In the coming year, the freed-up director Edmund Capon and all staff at the space from moving the collection offsite Gallery for their contribution to yet another will be converted to a new gallery to successful year. My thanks are also accommodate the substantial gift of extended to Carol Mills, Director-General, contemporary art from John Kaldor Communities NSW, for her keen interest in Steven Lowy and his family. This area of 1676 square and support of the Gallery. President metres will become the John Kaldor My fellow trustees continue to be a Art Gallery of NSW Trust Family Collection Space, scheduled to source of great support, advice and 17 September 2010 open in May 2011 and, together with the friendship for me, Edmund and the entire generous donation from the Belgiorno- Gallery team and I thank them for that. Nettis family and the associated naming I would like to specifically acknowledge of the contemporary galleries on lower deputy president Sandra McPhee; chair of level 2, will more than double the Gallery’s the Finance Sub-Committee, Peter Young display space for contemporary art. AO; chair of the Audit and Risk Sub- The new storage facility and the John Committee, David Baffsky AO; and chair Kaldor Family Collection Space represent of the Strategy and Development Sub- a once-in-a-generation change to the Committee, Guido Belgiorno-Nettis AM. way the Gallery operates, providing the I would also like to acknowledge the role potential to show more of the collection of trustee Janice Reid AM, chair of the as well as new works never before seen Acquisitions and Loans Sub-Committee. by visitors to the Gallery. I would like to thank Peter Young In a further move to safeguard the AO, John Schaeffer and Imants Tillers, collection, the Gallery also completed a whose terms as trustees expired in major upgrade of the security systems December 2009. All three made significant this year, including the installation of new contributions to the Gallery and I wish surveillance technologies and access them well. I welcome new trustees, controls and the reconfiguration of the Mark Nelson, John Beard and Geoff security control room. Ainsworth, who commenced their terms in February 2010. Mark Nelson has taken on the additional responsibility as chair of the Finance Sub-Committee while Geoff Ainsworth has joined the

PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD 11 Director’s Statement

Sam Leach Proposal for landscaped cosmos 2010.

12 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Wynne Prize an opportune moment to address those acquire First-class marksman. We may We managed to enliven the year with an so often critical and unconvinced of a now express our great appreciation to interesting and unexpected imbroglio trustee role on the board of an institution the Gleeson O’Keefe Foundation for that happily engaged the art community such as a public art museum, complaining the purchase on behalf of the Gallery of and the media in lively debate. Our Board that such members of the community this outstanding picture and for us the of Trustees achieved what none of their at large have no business discussing fulfilment of such a long-held dream. predecessors had managed – to create and making or at least contributing to This is, without doubt, a prize addition a controversy out of the hitherto benign decisions about matters of art. In this and has already found an impressive and Wynne Prize. It was after a lengthy, particular case, of course, the argument is lasting place on the walls of the Gallery. genuinely considered and thoughtful clear and unassailable for, in accordance Apart from its historical importance and debate – one in which the two artist with the conditions of the Wynne Prize, its central theme of Kelly, this is Nolan at trustees played a proper and significant it has to be judged by the trustees, and his quixotic best. The emphatic isolated part – that the trustees resolved to award so too the Archibald Prize. This may image stands out starkly against a benign the Wynne Prize for ‘the best landscape cause great consternation to some but and beautiful landscape background painting of Australian scenery’ this I applaud it for, in general, the Gallery’s with that characteristic silky blue sky. year to not only the smallest painting trustees bring to the process the eyes The unrelenting black image of Kelly is in the exhibition, but one that was not and minds of those deeply interested but as arresting as it is simple but those immediately recognisable as ‘Australian marvellously untainted by the prejudice two eyes staring in the direction in which scenery’. The debate was further of a surfeit of knowledge and critical the rifle is pointed are redolent with an enlivened by, firstly, the fact that the same analysis. That may sound an odd criteria alert anxiety. artist, Sam Leach, had just been awarded but it is both balanced and challenged the Archibald Prize for, you guessed it, the by the expertise that also resides on Luminous Lord of smallest painting in that exhibition – the Trust, just as that critical analysis is Infinite Compassion a meticulous and concentrated image conversely challenged by spontaneous Still on acquisitions, I must mention of the entertainer Tim Minchin – and, reaction. As one listened to the trustees a second particularly outstanding secondly, by the fact that his Wynne entry debating such issues as interpretation, work and one that, like the Nolan, will Proposal for landscaped cosmos did appropriation, painterly qualities, the role be on permanent display. Again we indeed look remarkably like a romantic of tradition in shaping more contemporary must thank our resources of private 17th-century Dutch landscape rather values and about the possible impact of benefaction, this time the Art Gallery more than it did an Australian landscape. such debate on the future of the Wynne Society of NSW, the Art Gallery of NSW It was then quickly revealed that in Prize, one came to appreciate all the Foundation and a number of individual the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam there is more the contribution made by a board donors for having made this purchase a painting by Adam Pynacker titled of sensible, committed but objective possible – a superb, eloquent and Boatmen on the shore c1660 which bore individuals such as we enjoy. sublime Nepalese gilt copper figure a striking resemblance to Sam Leach’s from around the 13th century of the mini-masterpiece. We could see some fun Sidney Nolan’s bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Among the looming on the horizon. First-class marksman titles bestowed on this particular deity A rich furore of comment inevitably Another discussion that focused the are the Bodhisattva of Mercy and the ensued, ranging from ‘the prize should attention of the board on art matters Luminous Lord of Infinite Compassion. be withdrawn’ to ‘it is basically a copy’ was our quest to acquire a painting of How appropriate; some works of art have to Leach’s own wonderfully obfuscating immense significance to our collection immortality instilled within them and this observation that the painting was ‘a and, most especially, our ambitions with is surely just such a work for its beauty projection into some kind of idealised regard to our representation of Sidney and its innate spirituality speak across future’, which would seem to suggest Nolan. Nolan has been such a focus of generations, boundaries and cultures. that our future might lie some 350 years our acquisitive intentions and over the past decade our collection of his work Paths to abstraction 1867–1917 behind us. And yet I have total sympathy The exhibition program maintained its with that view; why should our imagination has been enhanced almost beyond recognition thanks to the enormous customary pace and variety and the not be furnished with the romantic ideals reporting year ends with three distinctive and visions of an idealised landscape support of the Art Gallery Society of NSW and the Nelson Meers Foundation in but very different major temporary even if it is one of another age and so exhibitions on display: Alfred Stieglitz: evidently not inspired by our locale? The particular. All that time we have also had our eye on Nolan’s First-class marksman, the Lake George years, Victorian artist was quick to acknowledge his debt visions: nineteenth-century art from the to Pynacker and I thought defended his the last of the great Nolan Kelly series of 27 works painted in 1946–47 that John Schaeffer Collection and Paths position with calm and equanimity; so too to abstraction 1867–1917. The latter the Board of Trustees, whose members remained in private hands. The balance of the series are held in the collection of has been years in the making and is devoted much time and thought to the just the kind of thoughtful, revealing continuing debate prior to their properly the National Gallery of Australia but we remained determined in our ambition to and researched exhibition for which re-affirming their decision. This might be the Gallery is recognised, charting the

Director’s Statement 13 AGNSW publishing We may take great pride in the quality and pertinence of our publications and this year alone the Gallery produced an impressive number of distinguished volumes; including Rupert Bunny: artist in Paris, Wilderness: Balnaves contemporary: painting, Victorian visions and Alfred Stieglitz: the Lake George years. It is an impressive record of excellent publishing and one that is unmatched by any other such institution in Australia.

Open Weekend Another initiative this year was our Open Weekend on 12–13 September 2009, which was held to celebrate the re-birth of the Grand Courts following refreshment, some refurbishment, some re-hanging and new interpretative material. With a whole range of activities over the two days, from curatorial tours to Jack Gallery staff transferring works into the new collection store. Thompson reciting the poems of Henry Lawson and ABC Radio doing regular broadcasts from the Gallery, a wonderful sense of new life and light was delivered into these historic spaces. It was an engaging and entertaining weekend that appeared to attract new audiences to the Gallery and set the pattern for another regular feature in the Gallery’s annual program of events for the public. The next Open Weekend, to be held on the October 2010 long weekend, will be the biggest public Indigenous art event ever staged by the Gallery.

Gilbert & George As for entertaining ‘one-offs’, nothing could beat the appearance of those quaint, well-dressed, perfectly manicured, perfectly mannered and then, suddenly, expletive-ridden conversationalists Gilbert & George, brought once more to the Gallery by Kaldor Public Art Projects on, Gilbert & George at the Gallery, Valentines Day 2010, in association with 40 years: Kaldor appropriately, Valentine’s Day. There they Public Art Projects. were happily signing literally thousands of cards for an endless queue of fans, progress of realism to abstraction from to abstraction project; however I can the ‘performance’ artists par excellence, Whistler to Kandinsky. As an exhibition make no apologies for concentrating gentle anarchists with the forbidden ‘c’ of such breadth and ambition it inevitably those efforts towards an exhibition that word slipping like an errant rose petal consumed energies and resources brings great credit to the Gallery. It will be into a benign conversation in such an across the Gallery and I would like to remembered as a distinguished show and unexpected way that it takes the attentive express my thanks here to all those who the accompanying catalogue is one of our audience a couple of minutes to realise. made it possible. It was an effort and more substantial publications that will find inevitably other projects may have had itself on the bookshelves of many people to be curtailed marginally or in some for years to come. way affected in order to fulfil the Paths

14 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Major building works free of charge. Their day will include support of our minister and Communities On a more practical level, the Gallery a tour of the Gallery’s Australian and NSW, the Gallery received a much- has this past year been transformed with Aboriginal collections, a discussion tour needed $3 million boost to its recurrent the completion of the Lilyfield collection and a healthy lunch. Transport to and funding from the NSW government this storage facility and the removal of the from the school is also provided. The year, and whilst we remain way behind stored collection to its new home. Well Gallery will see 30 schools a year for the our colleague institutions in Queensland, over 13,500 works of art are now carefully next three years through this generous Victoria and the ACT in this regard, we are and properly housed in the new store in sponsorship. The Gallery has focused on hugely appreciative of that increase and appropriate and accessible conditions. Year 7 students as this is an important all may rest assured that not a cent will be This was achieved without fuss or drama transition year from primary to high school wasted. We look forward to the next year under the calm and competent direction and the time to encourage an ongoing with much anticipation for there is much of Anne Flanagan, Anne Tregeagle engagement with the visual arts, informing to look forward to, and I can guarantee and Emma Smith; so thanks to them the election of visual arts as a subject in there will be not one iota of lessening in especially and to all those who made higher secondary years. Chester Hill High the quality and commitment of all that we that transformation so smooth. With that School students were the first to take part undertake. removal completed, work immediately in this new education program, launched In closing I feel bound to reflect that commenced on the storage space’s in April 2010. whilst the immediate future of the Gallery metamorphosis into the John Kaldor is ensured with the opening the John Family Collection Space. As we write, Sadly, people lost to us Kaldor Family Collection Space next work continues on this major building Whilst this has been as active and year and the familiar pattern of splendid project, which will open in late May 2011. productive year as ever, it has most exhibitions now reaching well into the This is an opportunity to acknowledge assuredly not been a good year for future, I am trying to envisage what our the work of the Building Project Control farewells. We suffered the loss of two very Gallery might be like a decade or more Group, which includes John Morschel and dear and hugely appreciated members hence. More especially I am applying Anne Flanagan and is chaired by trustee of staff to cancer; the unique skills of my thoughts to what we need to be Guido Belgiorno-Nettis, who are guiding our scroll-mounter and calligrapher contemplating and dreaming of now in this project and ensuring that we shall Sun Yu and the understanding design order that the longer term future of the deliver it on time and within budget; our sensibilities of Mark Boxshall will, like Gallery and the tremendous opportunities thanks to them and their team – Andrew their endearing personalities, be sorely to grow and to flourish further are properly Andersons, Jason de Bruin and Chris missed in the Gallery. To add insult to secured. Bylett – who are seeing to the successful nature’s indiscriminate whims, we also realisation of this work with such resolve had to farewell one of the Gallery’s and commitment. All the while John very best, albeit recently retired, Kaldor himself, Tony Bond and his team communicators and lecturers, Ursula are working away massaging, at this stage Prunster; a previous president of the theoretically, that most extraordinary Board of Trustees, Charles Lloyd Jones; benefaction into our new display gallery. a previous president of the Art Gallery Society, Inge Grant; a long-serving New education initiative volunteer guide, Pam Jennings; and the Another initiative dear to my heart was benefactor of the Gallery’s Brett Whiteley realised this year, thanks to Optus. A Travelling Art Scholarship, the artist’s conversation I had about 18 months ago mother Beryl Whiteley. With the rest of the with some schoolchildren in the Gallery art community of Sydney, we mourned on their very first visit alerted me to the the loss of Nick Waterlow, who, with his fact that many schools in and around association as a director of two Biennales the metropolitan area would love to visit of Sydney, was so identified with Gallery. Edmund Capon the Gallery but cannot afford to do so. We could certainly do without another Director This had a happy outcome when Optus year like that and the whole Gallery generously resolved to support our was deeply affected by this chronicle of 17 September 2010 new education Open Gallery program sadness. and provided the funds to bring Year 7 Visual Arts students and teachers from Thanks designated high schools, mainly from Nonetheless, my debt of gratitude to the western and southwestern Sydney, the staff, to our Gallery executive – Anne Hunter-Central Coast, Illawarra and Flanagan, Tony Bond and John Wicks country NSW regions. Each week one – the president of the board, Steven Lowy, priority-funded school (likely around 60 and all the trustees, the benefactors and students) will spend a day at the Gallery sponsors of the Gallery remains as firm as ever. We acknowledge too that with the

Director’s Statement 15 01 sharing

Exhibitions and audience programs 21 Future planning and exhibition research 31 Publications 32

Sharing to continue to improve access to our collection, our resources and our expertise through exhibitions, publishing, programs, new technologies and partnerships.

priority performance targets Achievements in 2009–10 plans for 2010–11

Develop and present public Present an annual exhibition program Achieved. The program this year Major exhibitions planned and educational programs including exhibitions across the included 31 shows in total, including include David to Cézanne: of the highest quality that following categories: exhibitions from the Islamic Arts master drawings from extend existing audiences Museum Malaysia, Arthur M Sackler the Prat Collection, Paris; and build new audiences, • major temporary exhibitions drawn Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, The first emperor: China’s particularly in under- from national and international USA and Asian Art Museum, entombed warriors; Justin represented groups collections National Museums in Berlin as well O’Brien: the sacred music • temporary exhibitions based on as four shows in the Australian of colour and a major the Gallery’s collection Collection Focus Room program; rehang of the Aboriginal art • exhibitions of work by eight contemporary art shows; and collection in the Yiribana contemporary and/or emerging a full refresh of the Brett Whiteley Gallery to incorporate artists Studio. works featured in the ABC • revitalisation of the permanent TV documentary series art galleries. + soul.

Improve our ability to exhibit Achieved. Construction commenced Grand opening of new contemporary art, particularly new in October 2009 on the new John contemporary display media. Kaldor Family Collection Space, space scheduled for which will display contemporary art. May 2011.

Over 65% of Gallery attendance is Achieved. Free attendance this year To meet our performance free admission. to the Domain site totalled 768,462 target. – 77% of all Domain visitors. More information about these outcomes can be found on pages 20 and 89.

Continue to strengthen Publish annually across the following Achieved. Eight major new titles New titles will again be our publishing program, categories: were published including the produced to accompany for both Australian and Rupert Bunny exhibition catalogue, major exhibitions. international markets. • major titles (including exhibition which is the only title currently catalogues, multimedia and major available on this Australian artist, collection handbooks) and a revised edition of Let’s face • education kits (print and online) it: the history of the Archibald Prize, updating it to 2009.

Commercially distribute major titles, Achieved. Paths to abstraction To meet our performance within Australia and internationally. 1867–1917 was published in Europe target. and the United States in a special hardcover. This large-scale book is the only title currently available that traces the origins of abstract art from Whistler to Kandinsky. More information about these outcomes can be found on pages 20 and 32.

Previous: Installation view of the Archibald Prize 2010.

18 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 priority performance targets Achievements in 2009–10 plans for 2010–11

Support the arts Present special programs and Achieved. There were eight To meet our performance community and industry in exhibitions to support and exhibit contemporary art exhibitions staged target. local, state, national and contemporary and emerging artists. this year, including Video Swell international arenas. Sydney; Tatzu Nishi: War and peace and in between; and Wilderness: Balnaves contemporary: painting.

Promote Australian art and artists in Achieved. Tim Johnson: painting A national broadcast national and international arenas. ideas, in conjunction with the QAG, on ABC-TV, starting showed in Brisbane and toured to in October 2010, of Melbourne. Rupert Bunny: artist a groundbreaking in Paris also toured to Melbourne documentary series and will then be shown in Adelaide. featuring works from the Erased, an Asialink show curated by collection and presented the Gallery, displayed the work of by the Gallery’s senior Australian artists in Singapore and curator of Aboriginal and Thailand. Torres Strait Islander art.

Continue our art prizes and Not achieved. The value awarded With the biennial Anne scholarships program for Australian this year was $150,800. No funds Landa Award valued artists and visual arts students, were awarded in 2009 for the Basil at $25,000, the Gallery valued at over $160,000. and Muriel Hooper Scholarship will exceed the 2009–10 ($4000); the Elioth Gruner Prize performance target. ($1000) and the Dyason Bequest ($5000) due to the insufficient applications received.

Nurture and develop a Continue collaboration with school Achieved. The teacher advisory To meet our performance range of partnerships, representatives and the NSW group, Critical Friends, met once a target. within regional NSW, Department of Education and term in 2009–10. across Australia and Training to develop and implement internationally. our education programs.

Continue collaboration with Achieved. The annual regional tour of To again tour the annual Museums & Galleries NSW and the Archibald Prize was expanded to Archibald Prize exhibition other arts organisations (including seven NSW venues this year. to seven regional NSW collection loans to other institutions, venues. especially regional NSW galleries).

Continue international partnerships Achieved. Many shows included To again borrow major and establish new ones. works lent by major international artworks for inclusion in institutions. The Gallery also exhibitions from institutions presented Garden and cosmos from worldwide. the Arthur M Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in partnership with the owner of the paintings, the Mehrangarh Museum Trust in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. More information about these outcomes can be found on pages 23, 24 and 28.

Extend the range and Enhance access to the Gallery Achieved. Work has been ongoing A major rebuild of quality of our online through the website and digital during the year to upgrade the the Gallery’s official resources to improve resources (within the Gallery and Gallery’s official website. main website will be access to the Gallery’s online). completed, to go live in collection and programs. More information about these September 2010. Phase outcomes can be found on page 94. two development will commence.

sharing 19 One of the special qualities of the Art Gallery of NSW is the very real sense of public ownership we enjoy. Central to that feeling is a culture of two-way access between the Gallery and community built over many years. We aim to increase and improve that access through our exhibitions, programs and use of new technologies. Our wide-ranging and innovative programs bring together works from our own collection with significant works from collections around the world to share the very best of Australian and international art with our visitors.

The curator Maloon and his gallery director Edmund Capon are the last bastions of the bold, eclectic international show in this country. Without Maloon’s ambitious vigour and Capon’s willingness to back a show that defies the concept of ‘safe’, an exhibition this powerful is not possible. Art critic Evan Hughes, The Australian Financial Review Exhibitions and audience programs

Access was provided to our This section of the annual report including the Museum of Modern Art, New collection and significant works highlights some of the major exhibitions, York; National Gallery of Art, Washington; from around the world through our and their supporting public programs, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice; permanent displays and our 2009– presented by the Gallery during 2009–10 Museu Picasso Barcelona; Centre 10 major exhibition program, which and provides more information about National d’Art et de Culture Georges our newest publications. A full list of our Pompidou; Tate Modern; Tate Britain; was supported by an impressive publications, including their purchase Kunstmuseum Bern; J Paul Getty array of public programs and price, can be found in the appendices. Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum, events. The Gallery offered a total as well as private collections. of 31 temporary exhibitions, seven Paths to abstraction 1867–1917 The show was organised into a series continuing from 2008–09 and 24 26 June – 19 September 2010 of tightly constructed thematic rooms, commencing this year. This diverse One of the most ambitious exhibitions each of which was like its own small exhibition program was generally the Gallery has ever undertaken, Paths exhibition: Whistler and his influence; free to the public, with admission to abstraction 1867–1917 included Monet and Cézanne; Nabis; Gauguin and fees charged for only seven shows. more than 150 works by some of the the primitivist woodcut; the exultation of Attendance at free and paying most influential pioneers of modernism, colour; cubism; and finally, 1912–17: the exhibitions was split 77% to 23% spanning the 50-year period when limits of abstraction. The exhibition was supported by respectively. paintings, drawings and prints edged their way by degrees from an aesthetic an enormously popular suite of public During the year, there was also one of naturalism and realism towards programs. The show lent itself in regional touring exhibition, Archibald Prize purely non-representational images. particular to academic programs, such 09, which toured to seven venues across The exhibition demonstrated the stages as the opening day symposium which NSW. In addition, our 2008–09 exhibition whereby this momentous change in featured stimulating papers on the Tim Johnson: painting ideas toured Western art had come about. emergence of abstract art in Europe interstate to Queensland and Victoria The Gallery secured representative from international visitors Jean-Claude and our 2009–10 show Rupert Bunny: works of more than 40 leading artists, Lebensztejn (Sorbonne, Paris), Richard artist in Paris travelled to Victoria (and will including Whistler, Monet, Cézanne, Shiff (University of Texas) and Annegret continue on to South Australia in 2010– Matisse, Munch, Gauguin, Picasso, Hoberg (Lenbachhaus, Munich) alongside 11). A full list of the year’s exhibitions is Kandinsky, Klee, Derain, Denis, Marc, exhibition curator Terence Maloon and included in the appendices. Duchamp, Braque, Bonnard and Virginia Spate (professor emeritus, Taking advantage of our later opening Mondrian, among others, with the works University of Sydney). Two Saturday hours on Wednesday nights, the Gallery coming from 59 institutions worldwide, afternoon forums took a thematic presents 5.30pm talks within our temporary exhibitions and/or our permanent collection displays. Attendance at the celebrity talks and performances, which follow at 6.30pm, was up by over 1800 from last year, due in large part to the highly successful Indian Summer programs for the Garden and cosmos exhibition as well as the participation of high-profile celebrities such as designer Catherine Martin and singer Katie Noonan (both in association with Rupert Bunny) and comedians the Kransky Sisters and Jimeoin (in conjunction with the Archibald Prize 2010). The Gallery also published eight major new titles, some of which are attracting strong overseas sales and are now considered the authoritative publications on specific art periods or artists. These major titles were supported by the online publication of education kits and notes, which prove to be excellent introductions to art subjects for the Gallery’s key education audience but which are also Francis Picabia New York 1913, gouache, watercolour and pencil, 55.8 x 75.9 cm, Museum of Modern Art, popular with the general public, resulting New York, the Joan and Lester Avnet Collection © The Museum of Modern Art, New York/Scala, Florence. in thousands of downloads each year. From Paths to abstraction 1867–1917.

sharing exhibitions and audience programs 21 Installation view of Rupert Bunny: artist in Paris. approach: ‘Colour and abstraction’ and responded enthusiastically to this entry- significance and accomplishments ‘Abstract art today’. The former featured level approach to an artistic phenomenon remained deserving of greater scrutiny colour experts John Gage, Daniel that is often challenging. Similarly, and broader awareness. With over 100 De’Angeli and others and was, by far, one Wednesday afternoon Art After Class works, including two paintings owned of the Gallery’s most popular programs tours gave senior secondary students by the French state and never before of the year. A Friday lunchtime lecture an opportunity to visit outside of school exhibited in Australia, Rupert Bunny: artist series and Wednesday evening talks hours, with several adults also joining in. in Paris was the first major exhibition in the exhibition, involving academics, A key element of the show was the on Bunny in close to 20 years and, artists and curators, focused on specific sumptuously illustrated 296-page significantly, one which provided an in- movements and artists. exhibition catalogue. Containing more depth assessment of the many facets of Celebrity speakers related abstract that 350 colour and black-and-white his practice in a large-scale retrospective. art to other aspects of life and culture images, along with essays by leading art The exhibition highlighted Bunny as a and included Claudia Chan-Shaw on history scholars from around the world, fascinating and nervy draughtsman but, abstraction and modern design and the catalogue has proven to be one of above all, as a superb and decorative Bernie Hobbs on scientific developments the most sought-after publications ever colourist, with a musically infused sense in the early 20th century. The film series, published by the Gallery. of rhythm intrinsic to his compositions. Realms apart, featured Persona, Blow-Up, The exhibition revealed both Bunny’s Alphaville and other film classics that are Rupert Bunny: artist in Paris savvy receptiveness to a range of late a ‘world unto themselves’, in affinity with 21 November 2009 – 21 February 2010 19th-century tendencies – including abstract art. This popular exhibition showcased the Symbolism, Orientalism, late Pre- Two programs were piloted with great work of Rupert Bunny who was Australia’s Raphaelitism and Fauvism – and his success, and will no doubt be recurring most cosmopolitan and successful painter crafting of individualised statements from features of major exhibitions. Abstraction in Paris in the late 19th- and early 20th- these influences in works which ranged for beginners discussion tours for centuries. The exhibition consolidated the from large Salon-endorsed mythologies to adults, conducted by Gallery educators, reputation of an artist who had achieved religious paintings, portraits, landscapes, provided a basic introduction to abstract exceptional international acclaim by beautiful experimental monotypes and art through select artworks. Visitors the end of the 19th century, but whose his vibrantly coloured late mythological

22 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 paintings, as well as the dream-inspired and 1937 dramatically influenced the Kernebone talking with contemporary belle-époque visions of Parisian women course of photography worldwide. The artists, the Gallery’s paper conservator at leisure for which he is most widely desire to build a specifically ‘American’ art Carolyn Murphy enlightening audience celebrated. led him to explore the essential nature of members with a detailed account of A substantial and wide-ranging set photography, released from contrivances Stieglitz’s processes, and authors Delia of public programs accompanied the and from intervention in print and negative. Falconer and Janine Burke discussing exhibition and engaged our visitors with This major exhibition – the first in literary themes related to the exhibition. a deeper knowledge of Bunny’s life and Australia of Stieglitz’s photographs Exhibition talks were delivered by the work, including talks within the exhibition, – included 150 photographs that were Gallery’s curator Judy Annear and readings by actor John Derum from the among the very best Stieglitz ever printed National Art School lecturer Rebecca diary of Bunny’s friend in Paris, Zsigmond and also the rarest. One third of the Shanahan. Justh (translated into English for the first exhibition came from the National Gallery An engaging film noir series set in New time in conjunction with this exhibition); a of Art, Washington DC, which holds ‘the York was curated in conjunction with forum and lecture series. There was also key set’ – selected by Stieglitz’s wife, the the exhibition. Stark black-and-white a special event that explored the cultural artist Georgia O’Keeffe, and deposited film evokes strong allusions to Stieglitz’s phenomenon of the Ballets Russes, and there after his death. Major loans also imagery and to other contemporary performers from the Australian Institute of came from the J Paul Getty Museum, photographers who had similarly Music played 19th-century music in the Los Angeles; Museum of Modern Art and introduced the sensibility of European central room of the exhibition on Saturday Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; modernism to America a generation earlier. afternoons. Philadelphia Museum of Art; Art Institute French cinema is always eagerly of Chicago; and George Eastman House, Silk ikats of Central Asia: anticipated by Gallery film audiences Rochester, amongst others. from the collection of the and the series which screened in The exhibition was constructed as Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia 2 July – 6 October 2009 conjunction with the Bunny exhibition four ‘rooms’ and began with a selection was no exception. The Gallery presented of Stieglitz’s photographs from the Ikat is both a style of weaving that uses an impressive 12-week program of films, 1910s, including those he took of artists a resist-dye process and a cloth made So this is Paris, depicting the bohemian, and collaborators at his gallery 291 in using this technique. Central Asian ikats cosmopolitan life in Paris during the late New York City. Stieglitz was a superb were almost unknown to the rest of the 19th century, screening pristine 35mm photographic printer and dedicated to world until as recently as 20 years ago. prints from archives in France and Great aesthetics in publishing, and later editions This exhibition displayed 50 colourful ikat Britain. The program included works (from 1911 to 1917) of his publication robes, textiles and wall coverings, along by such celebrated French directors as Camera Work were included. Stieglitz’s with jewellery, mainly from Uzbekistan. Jacques Becker, Max Ophuls, Julien portraits grew steadily in power in the It contextualised Central Asia’s crucial Duvivier, Alexandre Astruc and Jean 1910s and ’20s, and continued to be a role in East-West exchange: the famous Renior. major part of his photographic practice. Complementing this exhibition, He would sometimes photograph his the Gallery also published a superbly subjects over and over again – none presented, comprehensive monograph, more so than O’Keeffe, whom he met which included new research crucial to a in 1916. In 1922, Stieglitz developed renewed understanding of Bunny’s work the idea for his cloud photographs and his artistic and social positioning in because he wanted to create images that fine-de-siècle Paris. carried the emotional impact of music. After its successful showing in He subsequently believed that these Sydney, the exhibition enjoyed a similarly photographs could exist as the visual enthusiastic reception at its touring equivalent to other forms of expression. venues, the National Gallery of Victoria The opening of the exhibition at the in Melbourne (26 March – 4 July 2010) Gallery was marked by a symposium and the Art Gallery of South Australia in featuring Sarah Greenough, senior curator Adelaide (23 July – 4 October 2010). of photographs at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, who discussed Alfred Stieglitz: the relationship between O’Keeffe and the Lake George years Stieglitz; exhibition curator Judy Annear; 17 June – 5 September 2010 and Nora W Kennedy, Sherman Fairchild Alfred Stieglitz (1864–1946) was one conservator of photographs at the of the most influential figures in 20th- Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. century American art. The photographs Supporting the exhibition was a Alfred Stieglitz Ellen Koeniger 1916, gelatin silver photograph, 11.1 x 9.1 cm. J Paul Getty Museum, he took around his summer house at Lake strong Art After Hours program, which Los Angeles 93.XM.25.4. © J Paul Getty Trust. From George, New York state, between 1915 included ABC TV arts presenter Fenella Alfred Stieglitz.

sharing exhibitions and audience programs 23 are dramatically abstract, some contain by the marble version of Leighton’s statue motifs such as the tree of life, ram horns Athlete struggling with a python, widely or scorpions. recognised as the seminal work in the Screening in conjunction with the British New Sculpture movement. exhibition was a provocative series The exhibition was accompanied by of films, Along the Silk Road, from a full scholarly catalogue and a six-part Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, lecture series organised by the Art Gallery Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Society explored the themes of visions of Mongolia. Pondering national issues, poverty, visions of women, visions from commemorating the past and confronting literature, visions of the past, visions of modern realities, the films explored the faith and visions in 3D. The choir of St life of city dwellers, nomads, hunters and James’ church drew large crowds to the herdsmen in a uniquely poetic way. Films entrance court and beautifully married included Man follows birds (directed by Ali Victorian music to the art of the exhibition Khamraev, 1975), Urga (directed by Nikita over two Saturday performances. A free Mikhalkov, 1991), The cave of the yellow audio guide, written and narrated by the dog (directed by Byambasuren Davaa, curator, was available as a download 2005) and Tulpan (directed by Sergey from the Gallery website and Apple’s Dvortsevoy, 2008). iTunes store and on iPods at the Gallery Installation view of Victorian visions. The Asian Art Society of Australia information desk. Audiences seemed presented a six-speaker symposium particularly curious about this exhibition, Silk Road passed through its numerous on jewellery and adornment in Asia, and its position in the ground-floor project cities and trade brought great wealth to especially Cambodia, Bali, Central Asia, space provided an opportunity to also the region, with textile production a major India, China and Straits Chinese. The showcase our permanent collection industry. October school holiday program also displays, with several speakers extending Central Asian ikats became more took a broad Asian theme with a new their presentation into the neighbouring widespread from the early 19th century show on the Himalayas by storyteller Grand Courts. Two Saturday afternoon until the first decade of the 20th century Bronwyn Vaughn and Asian decorative art events addressed broader aspects of with Bukhara, one of the most ancient workshops. Exhibition talks were given Victorian culture, such as architecture, cities of Uzbekistan, the centre for the by textile and Central Asian experts while fashion and archaeology. Guest lectures various workshops of weavers, dyers and Art After Hours celebrity events included (including ones by fashion historian designers, and home to a wealthy upper music with Kim Cunio; TV presenter Peter McNeil and senior curator of the class who could afford the textiles. The Lee Lin Chin and artist Linda Jackson Nicholson Museum Michael Turner) were most valued cloths were of silk, the next each speaking on fashion and design paired with screenings of feature films set most valued a mix of silk and cotton. connections to the exhibition; and Salam in the period. While silk production was for centuries Cafe presenter Susan Carland speaking the closely guarded secret of China, by on Islamic dress. Visiting master dyer Garden and cosmos: the royal paintings of Jodhpur the 19th century, Central Asian workshops Sachio Yoshioka presented a lecture on 29 October 2009 – 26 January 2010 could also produce silk. (Most of the ikats his research into the colours of ikat. in this exhibition belong to the 19th This show was curated and organised century.) Victorian visions: nineteenth- for its world tour by the Arthur M Sackler century art from the John In Central Asia, robes were highly Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, Schaeffer Collection esteemed, used as gifts to thank or in partnership with the owner of the 20 May – 29 August 2010 honour guests. The quality of the textile paintings, the Mehrangarh Museum signified the status of the recipient. This exhibition presented the important Trust in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. It provided Ikat robes were worn by both men and collection of 45 19th-century paintings a rare opportunity for our Gallery to women, although women were restricted and sculpture assembled in recent years exhibit 54 Indian paintings and a beautiful to displaying theirs indoors. The higher by John Schaeffer. The collection includes embroidered canopy from the trust, which the quality of silk and the more complex some outstanding masterpieces of British the current maharaja established in 1972 the dyeing, the more valued the robe, Victorian painting, notably Holman Hunt’s to promote awareness of the unknown which served as a symbol of status famous Il dolce far niente, Waterhouse’s treasures in the royal store. This was the and wealth among rich merchants who important Mariamne and Leighton’s first time the extraordinary 17th- to 19th- might wear up to ten layers of them. beautiful oil sketch Flaming June. century court paintings were seen outside Ikats were also made for daily wear, Continental works included such iconic dowries and weddings and to wrap images as Ary Scheffer’s Francesca da newborn babies, and bright patches of Rimini, which has been described as one Death of Vali; Rama and Lakshmana wait out the monsoon c1775, opaque watercolour on paper, 62.7 ikat weaving were used as wall hangings of the masterpieces of the 19th century. A x 134.5 cm. Mehrangarh Museum Trust, Jodhpur. to ornament homes. While most designs small group of sculptures was dominated From Garden and cosmos.

24 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10

Gilbert & George in conversation with Gallery director Edmund Capon, in association with 40 years: Kaldor Public Art Projects.

Installation view of Wilderness: Balnaves contemporary: painting.

26 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 India. Not only was their size exceptional: A collaboration with our neighbours, on a coffee table like a giant bust while a so too was the bold variegated palette of the Royal Botanic Gardens, resulted in horse’s head was wedged into a cabinet; luminous colours. a tour of the gardens, with each stop in the bedroom, the horse and rider A number of impressive paintings dealt corresponding to one of the paintings in seemingly waded through a snowdrift of with religious subjects. All monumental the exhibition. The tour map was available sheets atop the bed. manuscripts, these works fell into two as a free download from the Gallery’s The exhibition was supported by categories: those that have popular website, and stops marked with large substantial programs, including guided themes such as Krishna and the gopis signs reproducing the artworks. tours, talks, film screenings, and holiday (cowgirls) as their subject and those that workshops for children aged 5–13. depicit the adventures of Rama and Sita 40 years: Kaldor Public ABC TV presenter Fenella Kernebone from the classic Ramayana. One of the Art Projects conducted two celebrity interviews for Art key works in this exhibition was a painting 2 October 2009 – 14 February 2010 After Hours with John Kaldor and artist of Krishna frolicking with hundreds of In 1969, Christo and Jeanne-Claude Imants Tillers, and two exhibition talks by gopis in a lush forest. The artist depicted came to Sydney and wrapped the rocky John Kaldor attracted a crowd that filled the smiling Krishna nine times to convey coastline at Little Bay. This was one of the Gallery’s entrance court. the god’s generous act of multiplying the first major land art projects anywhere Closing the exhibition, two of Britain’s himself to convince each gopi that he is in the world and it was made possible most celebrated artists, Gilbert & George, only with her. by a young Australian collector, John signed Valentine’s Day cards for visitors This exhibition brought to Sydney some Kaldor. Today, Kaldor Public Art Projects and participated in a public conversation of the most beautiful and cosmologically is a formal foundation that is even busier with Edmund Capon, which attracted an sophisticated paintings ever created. than ever, bringing some of the most astounding 2500 visitors. These paintings were responses to the important new art from around the world One of the most significant initiatives challenge to create a new visual language to Australia. The 40-year history of Kaldor was an interactive online resource, Kaldor to explain Nath beliefs, which had at Public Art Projects was celebrated in this Public Art Projects Explorer, including their core teachings of the Absolute, a exhibition at the Gallery, which included themes, artists and a world events supreme, immeasurable and transcendent archival materials as well as some of timeline. The website has been critically essence, which artists evoked with solid the artworks made during the projects. acclaimed by visual arts educators, artists, fields of shimmering, gold pigment, In many cases, the projects produced lecturers, gallery experts, senior and creating paintings that were both ephemeral installations or performances secondary students and the public, and luxurious and immaterial. and these were represented by filmed it is hoped that it will serve as a model for An extensive public program for Garden documentation, such as the wrapping future online initiatives, particularly with and cosmos ran under the banner ‘Indian of the coastline by Christo and Jeanne- the opening of the John Kaldor Family Summer’. January 2010 was very lively Claude and Gilbert & George as The Collection Space in May 2011. with a three-week season of Indian Singing Sculpture. classical and folk dance performed by To coincide with the launch of the Wilderness: Balnaves contemporary: painting Lingalayam dance school students and anniversary exhibition, Kaldor invited 5 March – 23 May 2010 graduates, and an Art After Hours series Tatzu Nishi, a Japanese conceptual that attracted large audiences each artist based in Berlin, to realise an Exploring a nuanced engagement Wednesday night, including a Bollywood ambitious project outside the Gallery. with ideas of the wild and nature, dance show, a sari fashion parade Nishi proposed an intervention on two Wilderness focused on contemporary and a yoga demonstration with Simon larger-than-life equestrian bronzes on representational painting that considered Borg-Olivier. The finale on Australia Day either side of the steps leading up to how the wilderness exists as much in our weekend saw Indian artists creating a the classical 19th-century façade of our imaginations and memories as does an rangoli floor painting in coloured powder heritage building. These ‘guardians of actual place. Fourteen artists exhibited outside the cafe. The process was filmed the museum’ are The offerings of peace new and recent work: Del Kathryn Barton, and reproduced in a time-lapse video and The offerings of war, created by the Daniel Boyd, Andrew Browne, Stephen for the website. Five more videos of English sculptor Gilbert Bayes in 1923. Bush, Tony Clark, Julie Fragar, Louise performances were also made available Nishi enclosed these sculptures with Hearman, Fiona Lowry, Nigel Milsom, on the website, creating a rich resource room-like structures, decorated inside James Morrison, Alex Pittendrigh, Mary on Indian culture. as domestic rooms. The public entered Scott, Megan Walch and Michael Zavros. The cosmic aspect of the exhibition was the rooms by way of long ramps leading In the course of Western history, the addressed through early morning sessions from the top steps of the Gallery, finding wilderness has often been conceived of of healing music and meditation and the themselves in a beautifully decorated as the opposite to civilisation, wild and commissioning of a CD by sacred music living room in the case of ‘Peace’ and a potentially dangerous. More recently, it is experts Kim Cunio and Heather Graham. bedroom for ‘War’. Everything seemed somewhere we now value as representing The Gallery also hosted an evening completely normal except that, in the the world before it was changed forever concert by visiting flautist Dr N Ramani living room, the top of a rider appeared by industrial modernity. In these artists’ and vocalist Manjiri Kelkar.

sharing exhibitions and audience programs 27 work, ‘wilderness’ became much more exhibition showcased the art of Kitagawa of Utamaro’s world, his contribution to than just somewhere untouched by Utamaro (1753?–1806), one of the best- printmaking and the reception of his work humankind; rather, it was intimately known Japanese artists in the Western in Europe. The eight-week exhibition linked to our most fundamental thoughts, world. It was the first extensive survey film program, Pictures from the Floating emotions, desires and anxieties. of Utamaro’s work in Australia, and also World, presented classic cinema by some The American writer and poet Henry included work by his contemporaries and of Japan’s most significant directors, David Thoreau’s famous quote – ‘in followers. including Kenji Mizoguchi’s 1946 Utamaro wildness is the preservation of the world’ The quintessential exponent of the and his five women, Mika Ninagawa’s – resonated through the art in this ukiyo-e woodblock print, Utamaro 2006 Sakuran, Nagisa Oshima’s exhibition. While the works in Wilderness revolutionised the way women were 1978 Empire of passion and Masaki were stylistically diverse, the artists portrayed in Japanese visual art. Kobayashi’s 1964 Kwaidan. Audiences were linked by a common approach Compositions of ill-fated lovers, lovers in were enthralled by stories of beautiful to depicting a natural world that is as moments of despair and mothers doting women, artists, courtesans, actors and much within us as ‘out there’. From on their sons were among his favourites, samurai warriors. Rare 35mm prints were alpine mountains to hunting scenes, along with many subtly erotic depictions imported from various film archives in meticulously manicured gardens to of men and women. Japan for this season. invented but seemingly natural forms, the Trained in the orthodox painting style Art After Hours celebrity talks were works invite us to look more closely at the of the Kano school, Utamaro was soon wonderfully varied, from chef Testuya world around us and to question just how discovered by Tsutaya Jûzaburô, an Wakuda and tattoo artist Josh Roelink ‘natural’ nature is and what we expect to influential and astute ukiyo-e publisher. to fashion designers High Tea with Mrs find when we look at the landscape. Under Tsutaya’s guidance, Utamaro rose Woo and woodblock print artist Tom Wilderness was the first in a new series quickly, achieving his first critical acclaim Christensen. The talks were followed of biennial exhibitions supported by the and commercial success with vibrant by a concert of three koto players in Balnaves Foundation. A varied Art After illustrations for sumptuously printed the ArtBar led by Satsuki Odamura. Hours program featured exhibition talks poetry anthologies and erotic books in the The program also included the firstA rt by artist Daniel Boyd and exhibition late 1780s. When this type of publication After Hours ticketed lectures on Asian curator Wayne Tunnicliffe. Celebrity was censored in the early 1790s, Tsutaya art, with a three-part series by William talks included Fenella Kernebone in and Utamaro shifted their activity to the Coaldrake entitled ‘Edo City: crucible conversation with artists Del Kathryn profitable genre of ‘pictures of beautiful of culture’. Seven scheduled Japanese- Barton and Boyd, as well as former NSW women’ (bijinga). The close-up view language tours of the exhibition by the Premier Bob Carr who extended the enabled him to capture a fleeting facial Gallery’s community ambassadors were wilderness theme by talking about his expression and imbue his subjects with a very well-patronised, and the community passion for the bush. Special lectures in psychological depth. ambassadors were also instrumental conjunction with the exhibition included As well as the female inhabitants of the in organising the visit from Tokyo of a public artists’ forum in which several pleasure quarters, Utamaro portrayed master printer Keizaburo Matsuzaki, exhibition artists discussed their creative women from all walks of life. In his who demonstrated the making of a practices and concepts. Neil Balnaves, images, diligent housewives doing daily multicoloured print from woodblocks one of Australia’s leading philanthropists chores or female workers of various for members, volunteers and school and chair of the Balnaves Foundation, trades were instilled with a poise and students, working continuously over featured in conversation with the Gallery’s understated eroticism that matched the several hours one weekend and amazing director Edmund Capon, and Jaimie courtesans. His depictions of mothers visitors with his skill. The exhibition Leonarder, otherwise know as Jay doting on their little sons and pairs of star- was also highlighted in the Seniors Katz, delivered a lecture titled ‘Into the crossed lovers from literature and theatre Week program with two free ikebana wilderness: gothic and Romantic imagery are among the finest in Japanese art. Like demonstrations and tours. in popular culture’ to an audience with no other artist, Utamaro understood how a specialised interest in pop culture and to visualise passion and physical intimacy Dobell Prize for Drawing 2009 film. Filmed interviews with the curator between the sexes without transgressing 6 November 2009 – 31 January 2010 and artists remain available on the censorship laws. By the mid 1790s, Judged by Nick Mourtzakis, studio Gallery’s website and YouTube channel for ‘Utamaro’ was the most sought-after coordinator of drawing and lecturer secondary and tertiary students, teachers, brand name for sensuous, passionate of painting and drawing at Monash lecturers and the wider public. and technically outstanding images of University and two-time Dobell winner, beautiful women. the 2009 Dobell Prize for Drawing was Hymn to beauty: the art The exhibition opened with a awarded to Pam Hallandal for her drawing of Utamaro symposium featuring the author of the Tsunami 2007–09, an apocalyptic vision 13 February – 2 May 2010 most recent research on the artist, Julie N inspired by the 2004 Indian Ocean Featuring over 80 prints from the Davis from the University of Pennsylvania. tsunami. This masterfully rendered collection of the Asian Art Museum, Five other speakers contributed to drawing, which evokes the human drama National Museums in Berlin, this popular building a picture of the city life and times of the cataclysmic tsunami in the oceans

28 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Kitagawa Utamaro About to breastfeed from the series Elegant Pam Hallandal Tsunami 2007–09. Winner of the Dobell Prize for comparison of little treasures c1802, oban, colour woodblock, Drawing 2009. 39.1 x 26.4 cm. Asian Art Museum, National Museums in Berlin.

Sam Leach with his Archibald Prize-winning portrait of Tim Minchin.

sharing exhibitions and audience programs 29 Installation view of Printmaking in the age of Romanticism. Liu Jianhua Container series 2009. Courtesy the artist and Beijing Commune, Beijing. This project was assisted by Beijing Commune, Beijing. From the 17th Biennale of Sydney. to Australia’s north, automatically enters point for a broader discussion about the prints from the Gallery’s permanent the Gallery’s collection as a gift of the role of portraiture in our society, both collection by eminent Romantic artists Sir William Dobell Art Foundation. The historically and today. Edmund Capon and such as Fuseli, Blake, Turner, Martin, annual prize and exhibition is sponsored Andrew Sayers, director of the National Géricault, Delacroix, Bresdin and Corot. by the Dobell Foundation. This year, 649 Portrait Gallery, delivered insightful The extremely popular and very drawings were entered; 46 of which were lectures on the process of the Archibald engaging talks held in this exhibition included in the exhibition. Prize and the question of ‘what makes a proved how effective this form of public Exhibition talks, delivered by curators good portrait’ respectively, followed by program can be, particularly in explaining and the director of the National Art presentations by artists Cherry Hood and little-understood art techniques such as School, Anita Taylor, were appreciated Paul Newton and philanthropist Gene mezzotint and other print media. Speakers by audiences eager to learn more about Sherman, herself the subject of many included art historians Christopher contemporary drawing. Celebrity talks portraits. A panel discussion, involving Allen and Chiara O’Reilley, while artists explored the role of drawing in everyday all the speakers, was deftly moderated such as Michelle Hiscock and Simon life and featured a fascinating discussion by journalist Virginia Trioli. Cooper provided insight into printmaking between the dean of the University A series of 12 floor talks by Gallery techniques. Highlights of the celebrity talk of NSW College of Fine Arts, Ian staff highlighted portraits on display in program were from the author of A lion Howard, and plastic surgeons who have the permanent galleries – an opportunity called Christian, Ace Bourke; broadcaster undertaken drawing classes to better to draw attention to the collection during Emma Ayres; and artist Bill Henson, understand human anatomy. a time when visitor numbers are high whose inspired talk on Romanticism drew – which attracted an enthusiastic and a huge audience. Archibald, Wynne and Sulman appreciative audience. There was also As the Blake Prize ran concurrently Prizes 2010 a series of three lectures addressing the at the National Art School, the Gallery 27 March – 30 May 2010 history of each prize, including one on participated in a collaborative event that Two of the three annual prizes this year the Archibald by actor/writer Jonathan looked at the spiritual vision of William generated controversy, which energised Biggins. Blake and contemporary religious art a robust community debate; the issues showcased in the eponymous prize. surrounding the Wynne Prize winning Printmaking in the age of Romanticism painting are addressed in the director’s 17th Biennale of Sydney: 6 August – 25 October 2009 THE BEAUTY OF DISTANCE: Songs statement in this report. Nevertheless, of Survival in a Precarious Age the exhibition continued to be one of the Romanticism was a dominant force in 12 May – 1 August 2010 Gallery most popular, drawing crowds in the development of music, literature and excess of 125,900 visitors. painting but it is less often appreciated Despite the shortage of display space This year, more programs were added that Romanticism also found strong due to building renovations for the new to the mix to accompany the exhibition, expression in the graphic arts. This contemporary galleries, the Gallery still headed by Archibald, image & identity: exhibition focused on printmaking in hosted a series of works for the 17th a portraiture forum. This half-day forum England and France between 1790 and Biennale of Sydney. Works by artists took the Archibald Prize as a starting 1850 and included over 150 rarely seen Hisashi Tenmyouya, Wang Qingsong,

30 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Future planning and exhibition research

colour field painting in Australia, while 6 photographers included work by Gordon Andrews, Max Dupain, Kerry Dundas, Hal Missingham, Axel Poignant and David Potts, all of whom were included in the 1955 exhibition of the same name, which represented a shift from the traditions of the past to the recording of contemporary life. Finally, Colour rhythm design brought together colourful, boldly designed woodcuts and linocuts from the 1920s and ’30s by such leading Australian artists as Margaret Preston, Thea Proctor and Dorrit Black.

Collection loans Following the completion of the Gallery’s Thea Proctor The rose c1928, woodcut, printed in collection storage facility in February black ink, hand-coloured on thin ivory laid tissue, 22.1 x 20.8 cm. Purchased 1975 © AGNSW. 2010, the loans moratorium, which had From Colour rhythm design. been in effect since June 2008, was lifted. This saw an influx of loan requests from Entombed terracotta warrior © Araldo De Luca. Makoto Aida, Liu Jianhua, Raqib Shaw, institutions across Australia, which will Jennifer Wen Ma and Akira Yamaguchi take effect from February 2011. However, were displayed in the entrance court. loans already in place were made from The year was also one of research and The Gallery also hosted a major the Gallery’s permanent collection of preparations for major retrospectives on two-day forum, which brought together Australian art this year, including to the Australian artists Justin O’Brien and David speakers from different disciplines and following exhibitions: Donald Friend Aspden, scheduled for later in 2010 and cultures. Attracting a capacity audience in Queensland, which saw the loan of 2011 respectively, as well as an exhibition each day, it explored the core elements a group of the artist’s drawings and on Symbolism in Australia, due to open surrounding the 17th Biennale, from the paintings to Queensland Art Gallery; in 2012. Research is also underway external hierarchies that affect how we Lawrence Daws: the promised land, a for a book on the Gallery’s Lloyd Rees perceive art to comparative aesthetics. touring exhibition organised by Caloundra collection. The forum concluded with the inaugural Regional Gallery; Cubism and Australian The major summer show for 2010–11 Nick Waterlow Memorial Lecture, art, held at Heide Museum of Modern Art, will be The first emperor: China’s delivered by Lawrence Weschler. which drew on the Gallery’s 20th-century entombed warriors, which will open in Artists Hisashi Tenmyouya, Liu Jianhua Australian collection with works by Eric December 2010. This fantastic show and Wang Qingsong gave revealing talks Wilson, Rah Fizelle, Godfrey Miller, Ian will feature some 100 objects from one in association with the exhibition, and Fairweather and Mike Brown; the Carrick of the world’s greatest archaeological the Art After Hours program included Hill exhibition Horace Trenerry; and finally, discoveries of the 20th century, the performances by the band Microwave Sight and sound: music and abstraction entombed terracotta army who protected Jenny in the ArtBar and celebrity talks by in Australian art at the Arts Centre in the tomb of China’s first emperor. These Biennale artists Brook Andrew and Janet Melbourne, to which Roy de Maistre’s works, on loan from renowned institutions Laurence and this year’s artistic director, seminal Colour keyboard was lent. in Shaanxi province, make for a show not David Elliott. to be missed.

Australian Collection Focus Room The year’s Australian Collection Focus Room program began with an in- Our vision is to open depth historical analysis of Sydney people’s eyes and minds Long’s painting Pan, considering the work’s significance within the broader to the wonder, the developments of Australian landscape richness and the sheer painting during the build up to Federation. Tackling The Field featured a display pleasure of art. of six paintings from the Gallery’s collection, all shown in the seminal 1968 exhibition that declared the arrival of

sharing Collection loans / Future planning and exhibition research 31 Publications

Eight major new titles were published Major titles published in 2009–10 Andrea Nottage, biographical notes and a in 2009–10. Perhaps one of the most Archibald 10 bibliography. ambitious Gallery publications in recent 2010, pb, 48pp, 35 colour images years was Paths to abstraction 1867– Paths to abstraction 1867–1917 The sixth in this series of perennially 1917. Published in Europe and the United 2010, Maloon (ed), pb, 296pp, 350 colour popular small catalogues featuring all the States (in a special hardcover) as well and black-and-white images Archibald finalists for the year. as Australia, this large-scale book is the Surveying the art of five decades, from only title currently available that traces Let’s face it: the history of the 1867 to 1917, this publication follows the the origins of abstract art from Whistler to Archibald Prize broad and diverse ways that artists and Kandinsky. Another beautiful catalogue, 4th edition, revised, 2009, Ross, pb, their public, little by little, learnt to see Rupert Bunny: artist in Paris, produced for 168pp, 200 colour images and to judge works of art abstractly. The the Gallery’s summer exhibition, is, in turn, contributions of Whistler, Monet, Cézanne, Peter Ross shares his own detailed the only title currently available on this Denis, Vuillard, Matisse, Derain, Picasso knowledge of the history of the Archibald significant Australian painter. and Braque in advancing the possibilities Prize in this revised edition, bringing it up The outstanding quality of the Gallery’s of abstraction are given due emphasis. to 2009 in his own inimitable style. It is publication program was evident in the Far from breaking links to prior avant- the third time this book has been revised technically innovative production of Alfred garde movements, as the publication following its initial publication in 1999. Stieglitz: the Lake George years this argues, abstraction arose directly from a year. A rarely used seven-colour printing Rupert Bunny: artist in Paris tradition of speculation about the nature of process ensured the photographs, by 2009, Edwards et al, pb, 224pp, over 200 art and the nature of aesthetic experience. one of the most influential figures in colour and black-and-white images Published to accompany the exhibition of 20th-century art, were reproduced to the the same name, this catalogue includes highest possible standard. Rupert Bunny (1864–1947) was one essays by the Gallery’s curator of special Published to accompany an exhibition of the most successful artists of his exhibitions Terence Maloon, Jean-Claude of exquisite Japanese prints, Utamaro: generation. The aim of this book is to Lebensztejn, Richard Shiff and Annegret hymn to beauty sold out and required bring Bunny’s achievements fully to the Hoberg. a reprint, while Wilderness: Balnaves attention of the public, and to reveal, contemporary: painting marked the through the most significant examples Alfred Stieglitz: the Lake George years first time the Gallery has published a his oeuvre, that he had a considerably 2010, Annear (ed), pb, 144pp, over 100 contemporary Australian art catalogue in more complex and imaginative view colour images of life, art and his subjects than has hardcover. Alfred Stieglitz was a towering and frequently been presented in his role as The Archibald Prize was well served immensely influential figure in the a painter par excellence of middle-class with two publications: Archibald 10 – history of 20th-century photography. Parisian leisure in the late 19th century. the sixth time all the finalists have been This catalogue and the exhibition that it Published to coincide with the exhibition published in an annual catalogue – plus accompanied concentrate on the second of the same name, this catalogue features the third revision of Let’s face it: the half of his life (the 1910s to 1930s); his essays by the Gallery’s senior curator history of the Archibald Prize, updating it relationship with Georgia O’Keeffe and of Australian art Deborah Edwards and to 2009. his remarkable photographic portrait of assistant curator Denise Mimmocchi as her; his development in the 1920s of the well as David Thomas and Anne Gérard cloud photographs and the crystallising and includes a look at Bunny’s materials of making images which become the by Gallery conservators Simon Ives and equivalents of life experience; and the

32 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 extraordinary photographs of people and Written by the Gallery’s senior curator 40 years: Kaldor Public Art Projects things taken at Lake George in upstate of pre-1900 European art, Richard (including Tatzu Nishi’s War and peace New York where Stieglitz spent nearly Beresford, to accompany the exhibition and in between); Intensely Dutch: image, every summer. Along with a chronology Victorian visions, this catalogue presents abstraction and the word; Rupert Bunny: and further reading, the publication an impressive collection of paintings, artist in Paris, Archibald Prize 2010; Alfred features texts by the Gallery’s senior watercolours, drawings and sculptures Stieglitz: the Lake George years and curator of photography Judy Annear, by some of the luminaries of Victorian Paths to abstraction 1867–1917 as well as Sarah Greenough, Stieglitz and O’Keeffe. art, including works by Rossetti, Holman collection notes, Master artists of Arnhem Hunt, Burne-Jones, Leighton, Poynter, Land, to accompany the new Aboriginal Utamaro: hymn to beauty Watts and Waterhouse. The collection art displays in the Grand Courts. 2010, Kahn (ed), pb, 176pp, over 100 has been assembled by John Schaeffer, Children’s trails were produced for colour and black-and-white images Australia’s most passionate and highly Rupert Bunny and for the Open Weekend The ukiyo-e woodblock print is respected collector of 19th-century of the Grand Courts. A mini-website undoubtedly one of the most recognisable European art. Many of the works are was again produced for this year’s of Japan’s diverse art forms, and superb examples from these significant ARTEXPRESS, which proved to be an Kitagawa Utamaro is its quintessential artists. invaluable teaching resource and source exponent. Already celebrated as a master of information for future Year 12 students of the ukiyo-e print during his lifetime Wilderness: Balnaves contemporary: with more than 60,000 visits to the site in in late 18th-century Japan, he was painting 2009–10. introduced to the West at the turn of the 2010, Tunnicliffe et al, hb, 140pp, over 60 colour images 20th century as a painter of the Green Awards Houses (Yoshiwara pleasure quarters). Like the exhibition it accompanies, The quality of our publications was Utamaro achieved his first breakthrough this publication considers how nature recognised during the year. in the late 1780s as an illustrator of and landscape continue to preoccupy InsideARTEXPRESS 09, a mini-website sumptuously printed poetry anthologies contemporary painters. With an produced by the Gallery to accompany and erotica. With the introduction of bust introductory essay by the Gallery’s senior the 2009 exhibition of work from Year 12 or half-length formats to the popular genre curator of contemporary art, Wayne NSW Visual Arts students, was a finalist of bijinga (pictures of beautiful women) Tunnicliffe, this catalogue looks at works in the 2009 EnhanceTV ATOM Awards for in the early 1790s, he revolutionised the from 14 of Australia’s best contemporary Best Multimedia Learning Resource. way women were portrayed in Japanese painters – Del Kathryn Barton, Daniel The Art Gallery of New South Wales visual arts. Published to accompany the Boyd, Andrew Browne, Tony Clark, Louise Annual Report 2008–09 received the exhibition Hymn to beauty: the art of Hearman, Fiona Lowry, Nigel Milsom, gold award at the Australasian Reporting Utamaro, the catalogue includes essays James Morrison, Alex Pittendrigh, Mary Awards, with the judges commenting: by the Gallery’s curator of Japanese art Scott, Megal Walch and Michael Zavros ‘The reports outstanding features include Khanh Trinh, Alexander Hofmann and – and includes a select biography and an impressive summary, performance Rhiannon Paget as well as a bibliography bibliography for each artist. overviews and future opportunities, and glossary. complemented by excellent commentary Education resources on details of collections, exhibitions Victorian visions: nineteenth-century art In 2009–10, the Gallery added to its and acquisitions to give an elegant and from the John Schaeffer Collection rich array of educational material with interesting document.’ 2010, Beresford, pb, 175pp, 80 colour education kits or notes for the exhibitions images Printmaking in the age of Romanticism,

sharing Publications 33 02 engaging Community 41 Education 45 Outreach 48 engaging to continue finding new and better ways of engaging audiences with the visual arts

priority performance targets Achievements in 2009–10 plans for 2010–11

Strengthen audience Attract over 1.3 million visitors per Not achieved. Total visitor numbers To meet our performance participation and year to the Gallery and the Brett for the Gallery including the Brett target. satisfaction in our Whiteley Studio. Whiteley Studio were 1.28 million. programs, and improve our methods of gathering and utilising audience feedback. Attract an average of over 1200 Achieved. On average this year To meet our performance visitors to Art After Hours each there were more than 1950 visitors target. Wednesday night. each Wednesday night, in total over 47,000 for the year.

Host over 90,000 school students Not achieved. Disappointingly the The Gallery is seeking new each year; increasing to over total school student numbers were funding to enhance the 105,000 following an upgrade of the down to 85,159 this year. education entrance, which education entrance. will allow us to increase school programs and services.

Improve measurement of satisfaction Partly achieved. No satisfaction and participation rates in Gallery surveys were conducted; however, programs and of economic benefits the participation rate for public that accrue from Gallery activities. programs increased by 7%. More information about these outcomes can be found on pages 39 and 89.

Develop and present public Continue delivery of our core suite Achieved. A broad variety of Undertake economic and educational programs of successful public and education programs were presented in 14 impact studies for major of the highest quality that programs. key areas attracting a total of over summer exhibitions. extend existing audiences 266,600 participants including adult and build new audiences, learning courses which attracted particularly in under- over 20,400 participants; our represented groups. critically acclaimed film program which drew 33,970 visitors to twice weekly film screenings and which was supplemented this year with Sydney Film Festival sessions screened in the Gallery’s Domain Theatre; and 1898 participants in our To meet our performance disability access programs. target.

Enhance delivery of education Achieved. Open Gallery, a The Open Gallery program programs to disadvantaged schools new education program for aims to have 30 schools in metropolitan Sydney and to disadvantaged schools, was participate each year regional NSW. launched in April 2010. This program, (about 60 students per supported with sponsorship from visit). Optus, brings students to the Gallery for a full day of enjoyable and educational engagement with visual arts. For many of the students this will be their first visit to a gallery.

Previous: Actor Russell Smith as Ngununy the cheeky fruitbat leads a tour for the new Open Gallery education program.

36 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 priority performance targets Achievements in 2009–10 plans for 2010–11

Develop and implement new Achieved. The inaugural Open The Open Weekend programs for: Weekend, to celebrate the relaunch program will become an of the Gallery’s Victorian-era Grand annual event and will be • families and young audiences Courts, was held in September next held over the long • Indigenous Australians 2009 and attracted over 6600 weekend in October 2010. • culturally and linguistically diverse visitors, proving to be hugely communities popular with families participating • audiences from outer metropolitan in free activities, many presented Sydney and regional NSW. specifically for kids. Some of the other new programs implemented during the year included the Djamu program for Indigenous art education, an outreach program with the Yasmar Juvenile Justice Centre and a partnership with the Sydney Children’s Choir.

Develop and implement new Achieved. 85,159 students To meet our performance education programs for: participated in the Gallery’s primary target. to tertiary education programs and a • primary school students further 20,493 people attended adult • secondary school students learning courses. New programs • tertiary students included the Gallery’s collaboration • adult learning. with the NSW Department of Education and Training to host a two-day program which sought to integrate studies of Asia in primary and secondary schools. More information about these outcomes can be found on pages 41 and 45.

Through research and Develop and publish visual art and Achieved. In additional to the many To meet our performance innovation, continue collection research. articles written for the Society’s target. finding new and better Look magazine, Gallery staff also ways to extend and published articles in various print and deepen understanding online journals. and enjoyment of the visual arts. Present papers at symposia, forums Achieved. In additional to external To meet our performance and workshops, both around forums and workshops, many Gallery target. Australian and internationally on all staff contributed papers to the three aspects of the Gallery’s operations. major symposia held at the Gallery during the year: Focus on Stieglitz; Paths to abstraction 1867–1917; and Art of Utamaro. More information about these outcomes can be found on pages 108 and 111.

engaging 37 The Art Gallery of NSW is committed to exploring new and better ways of engaging with our audiences. We are also committed to extending our audience’s access to our lectures, tours, performances, films, programs, technologies and community events, which continue to bring new life to the Gallery and new forms of visitor participation and interaction. Further extending and deepening visitor engagement and participation is a high priority for the Gallery, particularly as developing technologies continue to open up even greater possibilities.

The children have thoroughly enjoyed their day. It’s been the first time we visited an art gallery and the children have learnt to appreciate the importance of art. The shows for the children have been entertaining and we hope to return for a variety of other children’s programs. Gallery visitor During this year, the Gallery the move of our collection storage, our Audiences by program attracted a total of over 1.28 million total visitor numbers were down almost visitors to our Sydney Domain and a quarter from 1.7 million in 2008–09, yet 2009–­10 programs % Visitors our public program participation rate was Brett Whiteley Studio sites and to Guided tours for adults 18% 47,325 our five touring exhibitions. More up almost 7% from 246,761. In response to public demand, this Films 13% 33,970 than 266,600 of those visitors year saw the welcome re-introduction of Children’s & family programs 12% 33,009 also participated in specific the ArtBar, which drew audiences to the Courses 8% 20,493 programmed events, including Gallery cafe for musical performances Art After Hours 7% 18,530 guided tours, collection and themed to our exhibition program. (celebrity talks) exhibition talks, Sunday concerts, The Gallery also undertook many Lectures, symposia 3% 8,339 children’s and family programs outreach activities across the state and Open Weekend 2% 6,612 and adult learning courses. This again toured the ever-popular Archibald Sunday concerts 2% 5,740 included 85,159 students from Prize show to seven venues to the Exhibition and collection talks 1% 3,054 primary school to tertiary levels enjoyment of over 66,000 visitors in Access programs 1% 1,898 regional NSW. participating in our education Brett Whiteley Studio 1% 2,487 This section of the report outlines some programs. Primary schools (K–Y6) 7% 18,511 of the major programs, special events Without a blockbuster like Monet Secondary schools (Y7–12) 23% 61,748 and outreach activities conducted during and the Impressionists in the exhibition Tertiary (universities and TAFE) 2% 4,900 2009–10. program this year and with some TOTAL 100% 266,616 disruption due to building activity and

Lingalayam dancers perform a rasa lila folk dance in conjunction with the Garden and cosmos exhibition.

engaging 39

Community

Open Weekend with many visitors commenting on the In June, three artists from Groote The refurbishment of the Grand Courts richness, vibrancy and diversity of the Eylandt gave talks and an art-making provided an opportunity for a major programs and most were thrilled with demonstration to 30 Indigenous and innovation in public programs: the the re-installation of Indigenous works non-Indigenous Year 4 students from inaugural ‘Open Weekend’. This weekend in the Grand Courts. The success of the Alexandria Park Community School of intensely programmed free events, held program has cemented it as an annual as part of the inaugural NAIDOC Week 12–13 September 2009, catered for the event, with Aboriginal art and the Yiribana Indigenous Artists in Residence Research broadest possible range of audiences and Gallery to be featured in 2010 and the Program. provided a unique opportunity to focus contemporary galleries, including the new In July, the Gallery coordinated a new programming on our collection. John Kaldor Family Collection Space, outreach program in association with The most significant change to the in 2011. the Yasmar Juvenile Justice Centre. Grand Courts was the installation of Indigenous artist Elaine Russell and an masterpieces of Aboriginal and Torres The Dreamers and NAIDOC Week Indigenous Gallery educator visited the Strait Islander art, so the Open Weekend This year we celebrated NAIDOC Week in centre and delivered an art-making and fittingly began with a welcome to country association with The Dreamers exhibition. art appreciation education program to 20 ceremony performed by Charles Madden. Highlights included writer, editor and students in Years 8 to 12, most of whom Artist Pedro Wonaeamirri from the Tiwi anthologist Bruce Pascoe, who presented were Indigenous. Islands discussed the tutini (Pukumani an inspiring Art After Hours celebrity talk, graveposts), and artists Gulumbu and Indigenous folk/jazz duo Microwave audio tours Yunupingu and Marrnyula Mununggurr Jenny performing live in the ArtBar. The Gallery’s audio tours continued to from northeast Arnhem land spoke about Popular winter weaving workshops were prove popular with new works added the art of their region. Indigenous actor lead by Indigenous artists Aaron Broard to complement the Open Weekend for Wayne Blair read from his recent book, and Tracey Henry. There was also a very the Grand Courts. The audio tours were and children were entertained by the successful series of 5.30pm exhibition also promoted at all Kindergarten to Year Gallery character known as Ngununy talks by Jonathan Jones from the Gallery’s 6 teachers events to demonstrate their the cheeky fruitbat and artist Ben Tyler, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander usability in the classroom. Presentations who told stories about growing up in Art Department; Indigenous artist Julie were given on how to use the audio tours Kakadu. Margaret Tuckson talked about Gough; Christopher Hodges from Utopia on interactive whiteboards as a learning the pioneering work of Tony Tuckson, who Art Sydney; Bill Gregory, the director of tool to prepare students for excursions commissioned the tutini, and Jonathan the Annandale Galleries; and two of our and to aid teachers in interpreting a range Jones spoke on the master bark painters. Indigenous educators, Emily McDaniel of artworks from the Gallery’s collection Edmund Capon’s personal tour of the and Vanessa Russ. and exhibitions. Grand Courts drew capacity crowds each day. The Gallery’s former head of conservation, Alan Lloyd, delivered three incredibly popular tours on frames in the European collection. Audiences were intrigued by artists Michelle Hiscock and Liz Ashburn demonstrating traditional oil painting and figurative sculpting techniques respectively. Gallery professionals delivered floor talks and lectures on featured works, collection areas and history. Other highlights included actor Jack Thompson reading from the works of Henry Lawson and ABC Radio broadcasting live from the Gallery, conducting interviews with artists, curators and visitors. A selection of access tours was also incorporated into the program. The community response to the weekend was astoundingly positive,

Jonathan Jones, curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, in conversation with Margaret Tuckson, Open Weekend 2009. Ashleigh Louise King as Gert by Sea leads a tour as part of the Open Weekend 2009.

engaging community 41 The Gallery’s inaugural Open Weekend proved enormously popular.

Access programs celebrity talks and the inaugural 2009 Access education audience The Gallery’s access coordinator was open weekend continued this year, with The Da Vinci Project is an initiative for invited to present an overview of our 30 deaf audience members attending Kindergarten to Year 12 students with access programs at the Arts Activated four events. In October 2009, an Auslan- special learning needs. It presents national cconference, held at the interpreted tour was programmed at the innovative workshops for students with an Powerhouse Museum, and at the Skills Brett Whiteley Studio for the first time intellectual disability (Starting with Art) and Exchange Day, held at Blacktown Arts as part of Deaf Awareness Week and for those identified as intellectually gifted Centre. The support of the Gallery’s promoted through access networks. It and talented (HOT Art). In 2009–10, the access partner, Clayton Utz, was was attended by 18 people requiring Da Vinci Project continued to extend the acknowledged. Auslan interpretation. programs and resources offered to these Signing Art is the Gallery’s longest- As an extension this year to In Touch audiences through our major exhibitions running access program, which provides at the Gallery – our program of free which were also linked to key works in Auslan-interpreted tours and events for sculpture touch tours for people who the Gallery’s collection. This is part of a visitors who are deaf or hearing impaired. are blind or visually impaired – several long-term strategy to develop a raft of This program attracts a loyal and growing audio-described tours of two-dimensional programs and resources for this audience audience, with visitors who are deaf artworks in the permanent galleries were that will have longevity beyond the as well as hearing visitors attending offered, leading to increased interest duration of the temporary exhibitions. the Gallery’s free tours at 1.30pm and from this audience. As well as being Selective high schools and primary school the 2.30pm Gallery Kids performance available to the general public, these opportunity classes are increasing their on the last Sunday of every month. audio-described tours can be adapted to participation in the HOT Art program, The successful integration of Auslan suit the particular educational needs of with 180 students from selective schools interpretation into selected Art After Hours Kindergarten to Year 12 school students. or classes, including Kingswood Public

42 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 School (twice) and Mosman High School, attending in 2009–10. In November 2009, 18 primary students from a range of NSW government schools attended gifted and talented workshops at the Gallery in a cluster program organised by the NSW Department of Education and Training. Gifted programs are offered free to students from disadvantaged schools, encouraging increased participation with support from Clayton Utz volunteers. Manioo, the program for gifted and talented Indigenous students, continues to be well received, with 110 students from six schools participating in the program in 2009–10, many of whom have had minimal engagement with the Gallery previously. Indigenous artist Emily McDaniel and artist Roy Kennedy assisted with several workshops for disadvantaged primary and secondary students in Installation view of The Dreamers. schools from inner Sydney, Matraville, Blacktown and Darlinghurst. This program offers schools an initial workshop experience linked to the Gallery’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collection and encourages them to return to the Gallery on an ongoing basis to participate in other gifted and talented workshops involving the European and modern collections, without charge. The majority of enquiries regarding the Gallery’s access education programs over the past year has been from secondary school groups and organisations offering out-of-school-hours support to families with children with special needs. Contact has been made with several support units within NSW government schools to keep them updated with Da Vinci developments. Several schools that were not able to make the journey to the Gallery were able to access Da Vinci Project online material for the exhibition As part of the Open Weekend 2009, the Gallery’s curator of special exhibitions, Terence Maloon, Intensely Dutch: image, abstraction and leads an access program tour with Auslan interpreter Tanya Miller from SLC NSW. the word, post-war and beyond.

Seniors Week in the collection and two ikebana development of the Mao suit and Gandhi’s The Gallery participated in Seniors demonstrations in association with the statement on homespun cloth. The 2010 Week 2010 (21–28 March), funded and Hymn to beauty exhibition. Arts of Asia series, Powerful patrons, was promoted by the NSW Department launched in March with Edmund Capon Adult learning courses speaking on China’s First Emperor Qin of Ageing, Disability and Home Care. The second term of the popular Arts of Over 300 people took part in free public Shihuangdi. The lectures that followed Asia lecture series entitled Decoding considered the outstanding individuals events at the Gallery, including a tour of dress was held during 2009–10. These 11 the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in Asia who have shaped their people’s weekly sessions focused on Asian dress arts, culture and sense of identity. These collection, a participatory performance in the modern world and covered the by Indigenous performer Adam Hill, an included Shah Jehan, Song Emperor complexities for newly emerging nations Huizong and Chinggis Khan. audio-described tour of key portraits of styles of modern dress such as the

engaging community 43 The Gallery also administers the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship. There were 124 entries in 2009, with 11 finalists selected. The scholarship was awarded to 22-year-old Sydney artist Nicole Kelly by guest judge artist John Beard, Barry Pearce and the Gallery’s director, Edmund Capon. The winner receives a three- month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris as well as $25,000 to be used to further their art education in Europe. Jessica Mais Wright and Becky Gibson were highly commended. An online exhibition of the finalists’ work has been established to reach a wider audience. Beryl Whiteley, who created this important annual scholarship, sadly passed away in April 2010 after a slow decline in her health. Her attendance at the scholarship’s media launches and exhibition openings and her words of Victoria Collings, senior coordinator of K–6 schools and family programs, leads professional development training for new volunteer children’s guides at the Brett Whiteley Studio. encouragement to the young painters will be sadly missed. Before her illness, Beryl The highly popular series Decoding Community ambassadors ensured funding for the scholarship would the baroque had its final semester in the Community ambassadors provide tours continue and it is a wonderful legacy she second half of 2009. Having focused on to visitors in Mandarin, Cantonese and has left to Australian painters of the future. European art for many years, the course Japanese. A highlight this year was the changed focus to Australia for 2010. increase in visitors to scheduled Japanese Audiences have responded well to the language tours of the exhibition Hymn to change and the theme Art and Australia: beauty: the art of Utamaro. Good numbers European preludes and parallels is were achieved, in part, by advertising proving to be a fascinating approach to in the Japanese language media. In the Australian art. lead up to the exhibition, the community ambassadors also ran a ticketed event, Volunteer guides Ukiyo-e upclose, which included a At the end of June 2010, there were 96 viewing of ukiyo-e prints in the Gallery’s volunteer guides available to take tours study room followed by morning tea. of the Gallery’s collection and temporary Community ambassadors also formed exhibitions. Of these, 29 guided children the support staff for the visit of Japanese only; 34 guided adults only; and the master printer Keizaburo Matsuzaki and remaining 33 took both adult and acted as interpreters for other visiting children’s tours. A total of 4585 tours were artists. conducted by the guides in 2009–10: 2865 for adults and 1720 for children. Brett Whiteley Studio The majority of tours for adults were of The Brett Whiteley Studio, administered the collection (1620), while 770 focused by the Gallery, celebrated its 15th year on temporary exhibitions. However, the since opening as a gallery and studio size of the temporary exhibition tours museum on 17 February 1995. Over this tends to be larger, attracting 20 people on time, we have had 146,619 visitors, with average. Private functions accounted for an average of 9775 visitors per year. 403 tours. Continued sponsorship by J.P. Morgan The guides also gave 20 hours of has provided a positive outcome, enabling service at the Brett Whiteley Studio, free admission for the general public stationed to answer visitors’ questions, visiting the studio. The studio’s exhibition and made 20 visits to retirement homes program is co-curated by the Gallery’s as part of an outreach initiative. head curator of Australian art, Barry Pearce and Wendy Whiteley.

44 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Education

Open Gallery at the Gallery. The program was designed day printmaking class at the National Art This year saw the commencement of to introduce students to the range of School as well as visits to key Sydney an exciting initiative – the Open Gallery vocational pathways in the arts, an area art-world destinations. Selected students program – which over the next three years in which Indigenous people are currently will also have mentoring opportunities aims to provide visual art experiences under-represented professionally, as well from Gallery staff in the curatorial, public for Year 7 students from priority-funded as to provide professional development programs, conservation and registration schools who would otherwise not be opportunities for the Gallery’s Indigenous departments. able to visit the Gallery. The development education staff who were involved in all of this program highlights an ongoing stages of program planning, delivery and Tertiary priority to make the Gallery and our evaluation. This year visiting university and TAFE collection accessible to diverse and Students became familiar with the student groups have come from a range growing audiences through a range of fun, Gallery’s collections, spaces and history of disciplines: art history and theory innovative programs. and with staff of the Aboriginal and Torres (largely self-guided by tertiary lecturers), With the support of Optus, students Strait Islander Art Department. They art practice, architecture, design, have had the opportunity to spend a developed their knowledge of Indigenous Australian studies, Indigenous studies, day at the Gallery free of charge directly art practices, of a range of other art history and other humanities areas, and engaging with visual art, particularly the movements and of the art world. They adults studying English as a second Australian and Aboriginal collections. participated in extensive and diverse language. During facilitated visits, Gallery Their visit includes a tour of the Gallery’s educational sessions such as artist-led staff usually deliver talks, although this collection led by specially trained Gallery art-making workshops, visited specialised is supplemented by talks and tours from educators, transport to and from the areas of the Gallery such as conservation volunteer guides in order to continue Gallery, lunch, a performance in the and the study room, observed exhibition offering this service free of charge to Yiribana Gallery from Ngununy the cheeky installation and met artists and staff. publically-funded tertiary institutions. fruit bat, and educational resources to Offsite experiences included visits to artist Each year, the Gallery hosts the take back to school. Optus also provides studios and other museums, galleries and University of Sydney’s Master of Art and each student with a drawing kit and cultural sites. They developed confidence Curatorship course, offered to post- bag to use in the Gallery and back at in negotiating the Gallery spaces, graduate students in the Department school and Art & Australia has generously discussing artworks and speaking in front of Art History and Film Studies. This donated back issues of their publications of the group. All sessions were facilitated year, the course was programmed and as well as copy of Current for each school by the Gallery’s Indigenous educators. taught largely on-site by Gallery staff, to add to its library. Parents and other community members delivering lectures, floor talks and tours From the program’s launch in April were invited to the Gallery to learn about in various areas of art museum practice, 2010 to the end of this report year, 455 the program, meet the staff involved and using the Gallery’s unique collection and students and 24 teachers have visited hear student presentations. resources as a case study. This course the Gallery from Chester Hill High School, As a result of the pilot program’s grows from year to year, as do curatorial Gorokan High School, Strathfield South success, it is proposed to initiate and museum studies courses in several High School, Sarah Redfern High School, two annual Indigenous art education tertiary institutions in NSW. It is expected Bonnyrigg High School, Blacktown Boys programs at the Gallery: Djamu Senior that such a surge in interest in museum High School, Liverpool Boys High School for Indigenous senior Visual Arts and professions will bring larger groups into and Punchbowl Boys High School. This Aboriginal Studies students and Djamu the Gallery in coming years. Presentations successful program will continue to run Junior for students in Years 5 and 6 from to such groups represent one of our in 2010–11 and 2011–12, with a different the Sydney region. most significant contributions to tertiary school attending each week. education. Artside-In Gallery educators course Djamu Now in its sixth year, Artside-In, a unique In the April 2010 school holidays the In 2009, the Gallery was successful in three-stage outreach program designed biannual Gallery educators course was obtaining a cultural development grant of for senior secondary Visual Arts students offered over an intensive four-day period $5000 from the City of Sydney to develop (Years 10 to12), continued to offer novel in order to increase the Gallery’s ability Indigenous art education programs experiences for students. This year’s to meet the demands for discussion and worked with the Sydney Region participants were from four schools, tours for high school audiences and Aboriginal Education Unit, local schools including Fairvale High School, Wiley Park for workshops and tours in the school and educators, artists and elders in the Girls High School, St Johns Park High holidays for family audiences. The course community to develop and deliver the School and Ashcroft High School. Eight structure was revised and improved Djamu program. For one day each week students were invited to participate in as an in-depth study about the Gallery for eight weeks, 18 Indigenous students the Stage 3 mentorship and master class and the collection, with a key aim to in Years 5 to 8 from schools in the Sydney program to be held in the latter part of develop an understanding of different local government area attended an 2010. This exciting and inspiring stage strategies for interpreting artworks for immersive art education program based of the program will incorporate a one- specific audiences through a range of

engaging education 45 Asian art A Celebrate Asia professional development day for teachers of Years K–6 showcased the Gallery’s long history of tours, workshops and education resources related to Asian art. Although there were only 20 enrolments this year, the Gallery hopes that by obtaining NSW Institute of Teachers certification as an endorsed provider in 2010–11 it will boost numbers for future Asian offerings. The Gallery also collaborated with the NSW Department of Education and Training to host a two-day program, Expanding horizons with Asia, on integrating studies of Asia in classes from Kindergarten to Year 12. A meeting was organised with Sydney region school principals to promote studies of China, which included a lecture by VisAsia chairman and former Gallery trustee Dr John Yu and a guided tour of the Asian Master printer Keizaburo Matsuzaki demonstrates the use of Japanese woodblocks galleries. We hosted a reception for 120 to produce ukiyo-e prints, in conjunction with Hymn to beauty. teachers from around the state for the annual Japanese language teachers tours, lectures, practical workshops and the Silk ikats from Central Asia and Rupert conference, which included guided presentations. Bunny exhibitions and teachers holiday tours in Japanese and English of the Four Gallery educators from regional workshops were run to coincide with exhibition Hymn to beauty: the art of NSW and Queensland participated in Intensely Dutch. Utamaro. The Association of Independent the course to further develop their skills In August 2009, a professional Schools brought 16 Chinese language alongside 12 art educators interested in development day for teachers of Years teachers to the Gallery for a professional becoming casual teacher–lecturers at the K–12, focusing on engagement with development day and St Patrick’s College Gallery. Within this group, four Indigenous Indigenous art in the classroom and brought 25 staff members for a day of artist–educators were also trained in order featuring a rich program of talks by artists, spirituality in the Gallery, incorporating to become specialists on the Aboriginal curators and educators, was attended by ink-painting workshops. The Gallery also and Torres Strait Islander collection as 65 teachers from the Sydney region. hosted the opening panels of the national well as leading tours in other parts of the The annual ARTEXPRESS teachers day Japan Studies Association of Australia Gallery. A total of 24 teacher–lecturers are attracted an audience of 150 secondary Conference followed by an evening now trained to lead secondary and tertiary Visual Arts teachers and trainee teachers reception. students and teachers in the Gallery and while Focus Fest, the annual two-day This year, Gallery staff again served as regularly assist with family programs and Visual Arts teachers conference, attracted judges for the Japan Foundation’s Art holiday workshops. an audience of 120 teachers and trainee speaks: Japanese Comes Alive national teachers. Artists, art collectors, art competition, which supported classroom Teachers professional educators, curators and writers presented use of the Art speaks: Japanese education development lectures on the theme ‘making it personal’ kit based on the Gallery’s collection. The professional development of teachers to a very enthusiastic audience. All continues to be a priority for the Gallery’s aspects of the Gallery’s collection were education programs with high demand included in these two programs, but of for a range of programs and experiences particular note was the Asian content, across the primary, secondary and tertiary provided for the ARTEXPRESS teachers areas. A total of 576 teachers, lecturers day through a woodblock printmaking and tertiary students participated in these demonstration by master printmaker events in 2009–10. Keizaburo Matsuzaki and for Focus Fest Staff development days were sold through presentations by visual artists out as usual, with bookings already William Yang and Ken Yonetani and filled for the 2010–11 session. Teachers performing artist Nirmal Jena. enrichment days for Kindergarten to Year 6 teachers were held in conjunction with

46 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Gallery director Edmund Capon speaks at the Open Gallery education program launch, with students from Chester Hill High School.

The Gallery was again the principal venue for the annual ARTEXPRESS exhibition.

engaging community 47 Outreach

Regional Arts Centre and Albury Arts Gallery and Macquarie and a Laurence Daws work In addition to the outreach programs Library Museum in 2010–11. Gallery staff to a touring exhibition on the artist that outlined above, the Gallery’s regional shared their expertise across the range will appear at both the Tweed River NSW outreach activities this year included of programming and resources that Regional Arts Gallery and the Wollongong the Archibald Prize 09 tour to seven are produced annually for this popular City Art Gallery. The Gallery’s busy regional venues: Broken Hill Regional exhibition. lending program will resume as normal in Art Gallery, Cowra Regional Art Gallery, Many Gallery staff also travelled to 2010–11. Gosford Regional Gallery, GriffithR egional regional NSW venues during the year Gallery, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, to deliver lectures, open exhibitions, International Bendigo Art Gallery and the Western judge art prizes, select artwork for This year, the Gallery partnered with Plains Cultural Centre at Dubbo. local exhibitions, promote Gallery Asialink at the University of Melbourne The Gallery held a special professional resources and exhibitions, and work with to present the exhibition Erased: development day, in partnership with committees from local communities. contemporary Australian drawing at Museums and Galleries NSW, for Due to the packing and transfer of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Gallery, educators and curators from regional our collection to the new purpose-built Singapore, 20 July – 23 August 2009, and galleries who will host the Archibald Prize collection store during this reporting in Thailand at PSG Art Gallery, Silpakorn 2010 tour, which went on show at the period, there was a general halt of our University, Bangkok, 4–28 June 2010, Goulburn Regional Art Gallery in June collection lending program. Nevertheless, Chiang Mai University Faculty of Fine Art and will then travel to Wagga Wagga Art the Gallery still lent to the following Gallery, 9–29 July 2010, and Khon Kaen Gallery, Tamworth Regional Gallery, Coffs regional NSW venues: an Ernesto Neto University Art Gallery, 16–27 August 2010. Harbour Regional Gallery, Muswellbrook work to the Glasshouse Arts, Conference Regional Arts Centre, Shoalhaven City and Entertainment Centre at Port

Alexander McKenzie Andrew Upton 2010. From Archibald Prize 2010.

48 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Western Plains Cultural Centre New England Regional Art Museum Tweed River Regional Art Gallery • Archibald Prize 09 touring exhibition • Lecture: ‘The Hinton and Coventry • 1 work lent for the Lawrence Daws: 25.07.09–13.09.09 Collections’ the promised land exhibition 11.09.09 13.08.10 – 26.09.10 • Member: advisory committee Griffith Regional Gallery • Archibald Prize 09 touring exhibition ABC Radio Tamworth 28.01.10–28.02.10 • Interview: Rupert Bunny: artist in Paris exhibition 23.11.09

Murwillimbah Bangalow Glasshouse Arts, Conference and Entertainment Centre, Port Macquarie • 1 work lent for exhibition 10.12.09 – 17.01.10 • Opening address Armidale

Tamworth Maitland Regional Art Gallery Port Macquarie • Archibald Prize 09 touring exhibition Dubbo 05.03.10–18.04.10 • Presentation Broken Hill Maitland 14.10.09 Newcastle Mt Tomah Blackheath Gosford Newcastle University Penrith Griffith Cowra Sydney • Lecture: ‘The body in art’

Wagga Wagga Wollongong Goulburn Gosford Art Gallery • Archibald Prize 09 touring exhibition 11.12.09–22.01.10

Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens • Chair: sculptural commission selection panel

Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery Goulburn Regional Art Gallery Wollongong City Art Gallery • Archibald Prize 09 touring exhibition • Archibald Prize 09 touring exhibition • 1 work lent for the Lawrence Daws: 6.11.09–6.12.09 5.06.10–11.07.10 the promised land exhibition 1.08.11–30.10.11 • Essay: ‘Pallingjang saltwater’ Wagga Wagga Blackheath Art Society • Consultant curator: Pallingjang • Member: Wiradjuri Council of Elders • Judge: annual prize saltwater 2009 Committee

Cowra Regional Art Gallery Penrith Regional Art Gallery • Archibald Prize 09 touring exhibition • Judge: Operation Art 19.09.09–125.10.09 02.07.09

KEY • Exhibition • Community • Education • Collection

engaging outreach 49 03 stewarding

Building and environmental management 55 Corporate governance 60

Stewarding to nurture and develop the Gallery’s people, resources and assets, and as well as the artistic heritage and life of NSW

priority performance targets Achievements in 2009–10 plans for 2010–11

Encourage and support From 2009–10, award a professional Achieved. The inaugural 2009 Trust The Trust scholarship is staff development to development scholarship (valued scholarship was awarded to Nik awarded every year. maximise the talents, at $8000) annually to a Gallery Rieth, senior installation technician. skills and scholarship of employee by the Art Gallery of NSW our employees and to Trust. acknowledge the valuable contribution of our Award a research scholarship (valued Achieved. The Society’s 2009 To meet our performance volunteers. at $10,000) annually to a Gallery scholarship was awarded to Michelle target. employee by the Art Gallery Society Andringa, copyright and image of NSW. coordinator.

Recognise the important role of Achieved. The Gallery’s 334 To meet our performance volunteers and the range of their volunteers contributed $1.77 million target. activities, and ensure the value of in-kind services including guiding of this support is calculated and over 47,000 visitors, selling over brought to account in the financial 230,000 exhibition tickets, and statements published in the Gallery’s supporting promotional activities. annual report. Further information about these outcomes can be found on pages 70 and 134-5.

Continue to reach for new Benchmark comparable KPIs against Partly achieved. No comparable Benchmark data for standards of excellence other Australian and international art KPIs for the current year for Australian museums and across the full range of our museums to provide a relevant guide Australian galleries are available galleries for 2009–10 activities. of our performance. at time of publication. However, will be gathered and a The Art Newspaper (no 212, April comparison published in 2010), which published 2009 art our 2010–11 annual report. museum attendance figures (based on our 2008–09 visitor numbers), has our Gallery ranked as the 28th most popular art museum in the world. This was well ahead of NGV International, Melbourne (53rd); Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane (82nd); Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney (84th); National Gallery of Australia, Canberra (85th).

Seek appropriate external/peer Achieved. The Gallery received To meet our performance review of our programs and an ARA gold award for our target. publications, eg competitions and 2008–09 annual report and our awards. InsideARTEXPRESS 09 website was a finalist in the 2009 EnhanceTV ATOM Awards for Best Multimedia Learning Resource.

Through effective forward Sustain the 2008–09 level of Partly achieved. While there was To meet our performance planning, ensure the sponsorship support/funding by way a 16% decrease in the level of target. Gallery remains viable and of new and continuing agreements funding due to the difficult economic relevant. with key corporate partners. environment, three new major sponsors – ANZ, HSBC and Optus – signed new sponsorship agreements during the year.

Previous: Rack storage for paintings in the new collection store.

52 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 priority performance targets Achievements in 2009–10 plans for 2010–11

Approve and fund each year of a Achieved. The Gallery prepared and The NSW government 10-year total asset management submitted, for the first time, a 10- has funded an upgrade to (TAM) plan to enable essential year TAM plan. the front of our heritage maintenance and timely upgrades building for an accessible of Gallery facilities and equipment. entrance to be completed in April 2011.

Deliver the approved annual Achieved. The 2009–10 funding for During 2010–11, the component of the TAM plan on building maintenance and annual Gallery will seek funding time and on budget. provision was $2.77 million, with all to manage the backlog in works completed on time and on building maintenance. budget.

Contribute to the health of the Achieved. Participation in Sydney’s Measure the number of broader NSW economy. inaugural Art Month, March 2010. interstate and international The Gallery’s exhibitions also visitors to our major featured in Events NSW’s Vivacity, summer shows. Vivid and Crave festivals and our Domain venue hosted Fashion Week events.

Continue best-practice Consolidate our own financial Achieved. The Gallery’s overall A $3 million recurrent financial and operational viability by managing the Gallery’s operating surplus was $1.2 million. funding allocation increase management to ensure finances within the annual has been granted by the efficient, safe and healthy budget and without government NSW government effective operation of the Gallery. supplementation. from 2010–11.

Manage industrial relationships Achieved. There was no time lost to To meet our performance cooperatively with the union to industrial disputes. target. ensure no time is lost to disputes.

Ensure there are no OH&S incidents Achieved. No serious injury or deaths To meet our performance involving serious injury or death occurred. The OH&S Committee met target. to staff, volunteers, contractors or six times during the year. visitors. Regular meetings of the Gallery’s OH&S Committee.

Agree to an annual internal audit Achieved. Deloittes undertook two An audit program will be program with Communities NSW and internal audits: payroll management confirmed following a implement fully each year. and security strategies and whole-of-business risk procedures. assessment.

Maintain, replace, upgrade and Achieved. The Gallery building A detailed revision of the acquire sufficient assets to underpin maintenance and annual provision building maintenance the operations of a busy public plans were fully implemented, on program will be undertaken gallery. time and on budget. with a view to seeking.

Focus efforts to achieve a Establish base-line utilities Partly achieved. Base line will be set Maintain utilities usage to sustainable environmental operations for the Gallery’s buildings. at 2010–11 levels as increased usage 2010–11 levels or less. footprint and responsible is expected with the opening of the waste management. new John Kaldor Family Collection Space in 2011.

stewarding 53 The Art Gallery of NSW is this state’s flagship public art gallery and is charged with the stewardship not only of the Gallery itself and its collections but also with contributing to the artistic heritage and cultural life of NSW. The Gallery aims to nurture and develop our own people, resources and assets and we are committed to providing a safe, healthy and sustainable working environment – one where our Gallery community can flourish. The Gallery also embraces our responsibility to lead and support the creation, enjoyment and understanding of the visual arts across NSW. Internationally, we remain tireless advocates for Australian art and artists.

We have just had a most wonderful tour of the Gallery given by Shirley Hillman who has given us so much to see that we want to return many times before we leave to go back to Canada. This has to be one of the most incredible art galleries of the world we have visited. What a collection. Thank you so much for allowing Shirley to be our first-class guide. Gallery visitors BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

With significant support from the frames had been designed and dock levellers, the accessible entrance NSW government, three years ago constructed; over 1300 works had been and an upgrade to the security control the Gallery embarked on a major painstakingly cleaned and stabilised; rooms; the second stage involved re- building program. The impetus and every object condition-checked and levelling and resurfacing the car park; was two fold: firstly, to safely and photographed. and in the third stage a new turning The new collection store comprises, bay was constructed, the access road more efficiently store the collection over two levels, six large collection was widened and resurfaced, and the off site; and secondly, to create storage rooms, a workshop, photography pedestrian pathway and enhanced lighting a major new display gallery for studio and edit room, conservation were completed. contemporary art in the space preparation lab, office space for The project commenced late 2008 and that was previously used for the registration and security staff, lunch was completed in November 2009, ready collection store. The project will room, bathrooms, enclosed loading for the start of the collection relocation release some 1600 square metres dock, plant rooms and four external to the new store. The relocation project of public space within our Domain air-handling units. The building has a tested the reconfigured and enlarged site building. This government 24-hour on-site security presence as well loading dock and showed that this project is generously supported as state-of-the-art security surveillance improved facility can accommodate the by private benefaction, with the and access control systems. The building range of deliveries to and from the Gallery is connected to the Gallery Domain site by into the foreseeable future. significant gift from John Kaldor a dedicated fibre optic cable that provides and his family of some 260 works lightning-fast communications. Security upgrade of contemporary art and a major One of the most significant additions to The upgrade to security systems financial contribution from the the storage infrastructure is the impressive installed throughout the Gallery had Belgiorno-Nettis family. mobile storage system, which comprises to accommodate the Gallery’s busy 15 carriages up to 2.5 metres wide by exhibition and functions schedule during Collection store 2009 and was fully completed in March and relocation project 8 metres long and provides for a range of different storage methods including 2010. The Gallery now has a state-of- The project to create a new 5000-square- the-art, fully integrated security system metre, purpose-designed collection mobile horizontal textile racks, upright vertical slots for framed works on paper that covers three operational sites. It store for the Gallery, funded by the includes improvements to the surveillance NSW government, commenced at the and Japanese screens, 11 drawer units and over 566 lineal metres of shelving and access control equipment, with end of 2007 with the engagement of cutting-edge analytical camera and alarm the architects, Johnson Pilton Walker. for boxed items. There are two rooms devoted exclusively to paintings storage, systems installed throughout the Gallery’s The project achieved development Domain site building, the Brett Whiteley approval in July 2008 and tenders were and the screen storage allocation for paintings has now doubled in size to 3.25 Studio and the new collection store. In called for in October the same year. addition, a radio frequency identification Construction commenced in January kilometres of three-metre high screens. In terms of space, some allowance has been system has been assigned to high-risk 2009 and proceeded smoothly through artworks and a new visitor management to completion, on time and on budget, made for growth in the collection. With this new facility, the collection is system, infra-red people-counting system, in November 2009. The project has been and computerised key management overseen by a control group of Guido more accessible for study by researchers and artists, as well as the general public, system have been installed in the Domain Belgiorno-Nettis (trustee), John Morschel site building. (external advisor) and Anne Flanagan by appointment. It has been remarked by many institutional visitors that it is (deputy director). Project management Energy management presently the best art collection storage was undertaken by De Bruin Projects The opening of our collection store facility in Australia. A new chapter in the (building) and Anne Tregeagle (fitout). midway through 2009–10 has resulted Gallery’s collection management has In December 2009, the collection store in an overall increase in energy usage commenced. officially began its operations and a team across our building operations. The of 20 people, including a full-time truck Loading dock Gallery will carefully monitor energy driver, under senior registrar Emma Smith, The loading dock project was designed consumption during the coming year to carefully moved 13,670 objects to the to provide dual-carriageway access to ensure ongoing efficiency and, where new facility in the new Gallery truck. The the dock, with a turning circle, separated possible, identify and implement potential relocation took four months to complete pedestrian pathway, improved lighting, reductions in energy use. As part of our and went without incident. The number dual dock levellers to accommodate the broader energy-efficiency program, which of works packed and transported was Gallery’s busy delivery schedule, and a includes timed switch-off of computers at unprecedented in the Gallery’s history. separate improved accessible entrance night and user-activated escalators, the In the 18 months before the move for visitors with mobility restrictions. Gallery again participated in Earth Hour, could take place, over 3000 bespoke, The project was undertaken in three held in March 2010. Our electricity usage hand-made archival boxes, 250 wooden stages: the first being the new dock and currently comprises a 6% green energy stillages and 1300 wooden travelling component.

stewarding BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 55 Electricity 32% in 2009–10 while usage of other fuels boxes for packaging interlibrary loans The average daily electricity consumption decreased by 49%. and filling visitor and e-commerce at our Domain site has been reduced merchandise orders. from 22,637 kilowatt hours in 2008–09 Reduction of waste to 22,495 in 2009–10. This equated The development of the Gallery’s Recycled content to a reduction in the Gallery’s carbon intranet to replace paper-based systems Environmentally friendly take-away footprint of 83 tonnes of greenhouse gas continued in 2009–10. ‘Log-a-job’ cardboard cups are used within the emissions, which would cost $1699 to features allow staff to book work by, or Gallery instead of styrofoam cups. We offset and is equivalent to eliminating the report problems to, our Building Services, continue to use other recycled paper emissions created by a flight from Sydney Design and AV Services departments. products, including toilet paper, plain to Darwin by an A320 Airbus. The amount of material available in the A4 paper with 50% recycled content intranet’s policy and procedures section and envelopes made of recycled stock. Gas also increased during the year, giving staff Toner cartridges purchased for printers The average daily consumption of gas easy online access to information relevant have recycled components. Our catering at our Domain site decreased slightly to their work. contractor ensures that soft drinks and from 103 gigajoules in 2008–09 to 102 The main Gallery printer/photocopiers juices are purchased in recyclable glass gigajoules in 2009–10, which over a year are set to default to double-sided printing. containers and a number of suppliers is the equivalent reduction in greenhouse These multi-function machines also are already using refillable containers to gas emission of four return flights to operate as scanners and fax machines deliver products such as surface cleaners Los Angeles. The Gallery’s gas usage and staff are increasingly scanning and detergents. mainly relates to powering chillers used documents such as plans and contracts to manage humidity and temperature to be sent electronically rather than controls to stay within specific photocopying them and sending via environmental standards required for art the post. museums. Resource recovery initiatives Water A designated recycling mini-skip is The average kilolitre per day water usage located on the loading dock for recycling increased from 92.3 in 2008–09 to 97.8 all paper products, including flattened in 2009–10. This increase was due to the cardboard boxes. Every workstation installation of an additional cooling tower is issued with a recycling bin, which is with a variable speed drive allowing, collected regularly by the cleaners. for the first time, the ability to efficiently Wherever possible, construction ramp usage up and down to meet the and display materials are reused for changing environmental conditions within exhibitions. All excess steel, wire, and the building throughout a day. The cooling workshop and building materials are towers use 68% of the Gallery’s average sent to an external recycler. Used toner water consumption. cartridges are sent for recycling, with approximately 140 cartridges recycled in Motor vehicle fleet 2009–10. All food and beverage services To support the operations of the new are handled by our contract caterer, off-site collection store, the Gallery has Trippas White, which ensures that all increased its permanent fleet of six motor glass bottles from the food outlets and vehicles to eight, consisting of three functions are appropriately recycled. sedans, a station wagon, utility truck, Glass and plastics recycling bins have van, two-tonne truck and 4.5 tonne been installed in the staff kitchens. truck. During the collection relocation, The IT Department participates in the the Gallery ran two extra vehicles for ReConnect.NSW program, a whole-of- three months. Usage of all vehicles was government initiative in which redundant carefully monitored over this period, computers are donated to not-for- resulting in a slightly lower average fuel profit organisations and disadvantaged consumption per vehicle. The Gallery’s individuals. This year, the Gallery donated motor vehicle procedures provide 33 superseded but working IT items guidelines for environmentally sound including computers, faxes and scanners driving and efficiency savings are applied to the Technical Aid to the Disabled Charity. against the increasing cost of petrol. All Opposite: Compactus storage in the new The Conservation Department recycles collection store. employees driving our fleet vehicles are its paper and cardboard off-cuts directed to use E10 unleaded petrol when Next: Works from the collection are transferred internally, while the research library and from the Domain site to the new collection store refuelling, and usage of E10 increased by Gallery Shop continue to reuse cardboard between December 2009 and February 2010.

56 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 57

Corporate governance

Steven Lowy Sandra McPhee Geoff Ainsworth David Baffsky John Beard Guido Belgiorno-Nettis President vice President MEMBERS

Board of Trustees executive in a range of consumer-oriented Ltd. In 2004, Mr Baffsky was appointed to The Board of Trustees of the Art Gallery of industries, including utilities, retail, tourism the federal government’s National Tourism NSW is constituted under Part 2 (sections and aviation, most recently with Qantas Infrastructure Investment Consultative 5–10) of the Art Gallery of New South Airways Limited. Ms McPhee is a director Group and the Business–Government Wales Act 1980. Section 6 stipulates that: of AGL Energy Limited, Tourism Australia Advisory Group on National Security. In ‘the Trust shall consist of 11 trustees who and St Vincents and Mater Health; a 2007, he was appointed to the federal shall be appointed by the NSW Governor member of the Advisory Council of J.P. government’s Northern Australia Land and on the recommendation of the Minister for Morgan and Advisory Board of Marsh Water Taskforce and the Prime Minister’s the Arts and at least two of whom shall McLennan Companies; a former deputy Community Business Partnership. In be knowledgeable and experienced in the chairman of South Australian Water; June 2001, he was made an Officer in the visual arts’. The two trustees that currently and a former director of Coles Group General Division of the Order of Australia. fulfil this requirement are Australian artists Limited, Australia Post, Perpetual Limited, Mr Baffsky was awarded the Centenary John Beard and Lindy Lee. Primelife Corporation and CARE Australia. Medal in 2003 and was the 2004 Asia Trustees are appointed for a term Initial date of appointment 1 January 2004; Pacific Hotelier of the Year. not exceeding three years and may be expiry of current term 31 December 2010. Initial date of appointment 1 January 2006; re-appointed following the expiry of the expiry of current term 31 December 2011. appointed term, but no trustee shall hold MEMBERS office for four consecutive terms. Trustees Mr Geoff Ainsworth Mr John Beard do not receive any remuneration for their BA (Hons), MA (Counselling), ADAE, MA RCA board activities. Dip Fin Mgt, FAICD John Beard is a renowned Australian Geoffrey Ainsworth is a director of the artist whose work has been collected PRESIDENT Bundanon Trust, a trustee of the Art by public museums around the world. Mr Steven M Lowy AM Gallery of NSW Foundation, a director of In 1967, he co-produced and appeared B Comm (Hons) Benthic Geotech Pty Ltd and a former in a series of art programs for BBC Steven Lowy was appointed managing director and group general manager of Television. From 1972 to 1978, he sat director of Westfield Holdings in 1997 Aristocrat Leisure Ltd. He is a member on the board of studies for art education and currently serves as group managing of the Council of the Sydney Symphony at Oxford University. He has taught director of the Westfield Group. Prior to Orchestra, a former member of the Venice extensively throughout England and joining Westfield in 1987, he worked in Biennale Commissioner’s Council and lectured internationally. He was head investment banking in the USA. Mr Lowy a patron of a number of cultural and of art at Curtin University in Perth from is chairman of the Victor Chang Cardiac charitable initiatives, including the Asia– 1983 to 1989 and in the same year was Research Institute; a director of the Australia Arts Centre. Mr Ainsworth is also awarded an Australia Council fellowship. Lowy Institute for International Policy; a an internationally known art collector. Solo exhibitions between 1998 and 2005 member of the Prime Minister’s Business– Initial date of appointment 10 February 2010; included shows at the Tate St Ives in Government Advisory Group on National expiry of current term 31 December 2012. the UK, the Art Gallery of NSW and the Security; and chairman of the Board of Gulbenkian Centro de Arte Moderna, Management for the Associate Degree of Mr David Baffsky AO in Lisbon, Portugal. In 2006, Mr Beard Policing Practice in New South Wales. David Baffsky is honorary chairman of was awarded a grant from the Pollock Initial date of appointment 1 January 2006; Accor Asia Pacific, which is the largest Krasner Foundation in New York City, expiry of current term 31 December 2011. hotel management company in the won the Wynne Prize and the Kedumba Asia Pacific; chairman and a director of Contemporary Drawing Award and was VICE PRESIDENT Ariadne Australia Ltd; a director and life made a visiting Professorial Fellow of Fine Arts at the University of NSW. In 2007, Ms Sandra McPhee member of the Tourism Task Force; and Dip Ed, FAICD a director of Tourism Asset Holdings, he won the Archibald Prize. Initial date of appointment 10 February 2010; Sandra McPhee has extensive experience the Indigenous Land Corporation and expiry of current term 31 December 2012. as a non-executive director and senior Singapore Airport Terminal Services Pty

60 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Anne Fulwood Lindy Lee Mark Nelson Janice Reid Eleonora Triguboff

Mr Guido Belgiorno-Nettis AM Dr Lindy Lee Professor Janice Reid AM B Eng (Civil), MBA Dip Ed (Art, Secondary School), BA FASSA, B Sc, MA, MA, PhD Guido Belgiorno-Nettis is the joint (Visual Arts), Post Grad Dip (Painting), Janice Reid is vice-chancellor of the PhD (Art Theory) managing director of Transfield Holdings University of Western Sydney. She is a Pty Ltd; a director of Transfield Services Lindy Lee is a senior lecturer at Sydney member of the board of UniSuper Ltd, the Limited and Middle Harbour Yacht Club; College of the Arts, University of Sydney. Salvation Army Greater Western Sydney chairman of the Australian Chamber She is also an artist whose works are Advisory Board, the NSW Health Clinical Orchestra; a member of the University held in the collections of the National Excellence Commission and the Kedumba of NSW Faculty of Business; and an Gallery of Australia and the state galleries Drawing Award Trust. She is a former interstate member of the Brisbane Club. of New South Wales, South Australia member of the board of Integral Energy In 2005, he was awarded the Australian and Western Australia, as well as major and the Federal Council on Australia–Latin Graduate School of Management’s corporate collections. Dr Lee has been American Relations; a former vice-chair of Distinguished Alumni Award for leadership featured in many solo exhibitions since the governing board of the OECD program and innovation in business services. Mr 1985, including in Adelaide, Brisbane, on institutional health and welfare; Belgiorno-Nettis was made a Member Melbourne, Sydney and Singapore. a former trustee of the Queensland of the Order of Australia in the General Since 1992 she has participated in group Museum; a former deputy chair of the Division on Australia Day, 2007 for exhibitions in Canada, China, Hong Kong, Queensland Institute of Medical Research; service both to the construction industry, Japan, Malaysia and Australia. She is a and a former chair of the National Review particularly through the management of former board member of Artspace and the of Nursing Education. Professor Reid is large infrastructure projects, and to the Australian Centre of Photography; former a recipient of the Wellcome Medal and arts in executive and philanthropic roles. president of the Asian Australian Artists Centenary Medal and a fellow of the He was also the recipient of the University Association; and former deputy chair of Australian Academy of Social Sciences. of NSW Alumni Association Award in the Visual Arts and Craft Fund, Australia Initial date of appointment 1 January 2004; 2008. Council. expiry of current term 31 December 2012. Initial date of appointment 1 January 2007; Initial date of appointment 1 January 2006; expiry of current term 31 December 2011. expiry of current term 31 December 2012. Ms Eleonora Triguboff BA (Art History), AAS Ms Anne Fulwood Dr Mark Nelson Eleonora Triguboff established a career B Sc (Hons), MPhil, PhD Anne Fulwood established her career in as a sculptor in the 1980s, exhibiting in television journalism before moving into Mark Nelson is a founder and chief New York, Europe and Japan. In 2003, corporate and media consultancy. She investment officer of the Caledonia she became publisher and editor-in-chief has previously served on the Council Investment Group and a director of the of Art & Australia, developing initiatives for Australian Honours, the Film and Caledonia Foundation. He is a director such as the ANZ Private Bank and Art Literature Board of Review, the National of Art Exhibitions Australia and Kaldor & Australia Contemporary Art Award, Film and Sound Archive (ScreenSound Public Art Projects as well as being a the Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces Australia) and the Luna Park Reserve trustee of the Sydney Australian Football and Art & Australia Emerging Writers Trust. Ms Fulwood is a current board Foundation. Dr Nelson is the author and Program, an annual 25/25 mini-magazine member of The Eye Foundation, a co-author of over 25 articles in various with Noise, and the New Word Order research funding initiative within the Royal Australian and international medical and writing competition for secondary school College of Ophthalmologists. In 2007, scientific journals. students with the Art Gallery of NSW. Ms she was appointed by the then prime Initial date of appointment 10 February 2010; Triguboff set up the Dot Publishing imprint minister to the role of Commonwealth expiry of current term 31 December 2012. to produce art and design titles, the first spokesperson for the APEC 2007 of which – Current – was launched in Taskforce. November 2008. Initial date of appointment 1 January 2002; Initial date of appointment 16 July 2008; expiry of current term 31 December 2010. expiry of current term 31 December 2010.

stewarding Corporate governance 61 Trustee meetings Based on these considerations, its responsibilities with regard to these recommendations are made to the board matters. ATTENDANCES AT BOARD OF for approval. Trust members: David Baffsky (chair); TRUSTEE MEETINGS Trust members: Janice Reid (chair); Guido Belgiorno-Nettis. External There were six meetings of the Trust Geoff Ainsworth (from February 2010); members: Bruce Cutler, partner, Freehills during the period July 2009 to June John Beard (from February 2010); Anne (to December 2009). Staff: Edmund 2010. Trustee attendance was as Fulwood; Lindy Lee; John Schaeffer (until Capon, director; Anne Flanagan, deputy follows: Steven Lowy, chair (6/6); Sandra December 2009); Imants Tillers (until director; John Wicks, assistant director, McPhee (6/6); Geoff Ainsworth (3/3 from December 2009); Eleonora Triguboff. Staff: finance and resources; Trish Kernahan, February 2010); David Baffsky (5/6); John Edmund Capon, director; Anthony Bond, manager, administration and strategy; Beard (3/3 from February 2010); Guido assistant director, curatorial services; Tony Morris, head of security (ex officio). Belgiorno-Nettis (2/6); Anne Fulwood Barry Pearce, head curator, Australian art; There were three meetings of the Audit (6/6); Lindy Lee (5/6); Mark Nelson (3/3 Jackie Menzies, head curator, Asian art. and Risk Sub-Committee during 2009–10. from February 2010); Janice Reid (6/6); There were six meetings of the Attendance was as follows: David Baffsky John Schaeffer (2/3 until December 2009); Acquisitions and Loans Sub-Committee (3/3); Guido Belgiorno-Nettis (2/3); Bruce Imants Tillers (3/3 until December 2009); during 2009–10. Attendance was as Cutler (1/3); Edmund Capon (2/3); Anne Eleonora Triguboff (5/6); Peter Young (1/3 follows: Janice Reid (5/6) Geoff Ainsworth Flanagan (3/3); John Wicks (3/3); Trish until December 2009). Apologies were (2/2); John Beard (1/2); Anne Fulwood Kernahan (3/3); Tony Morris (3/3). Invited submitted for all trustee absences and (4/6); Lindy Lee (5/6); John Schaeffer (3/3); guests: Kathryn Everett, partner, Freehills authorised leave was granted. Imants Tillers (3/3); Eleonora Triguboff (August 2009); Nik Rieth and Louise (5/6); Edmund Capon (6/6); Anthony Bond Fischer, AGNSW OH&S Committee TRUST SUB-COMMITTEES (5/6); Barry Pearce (5/6); Jackie Menzies representatives (December 2009); Maurice The sub-committees generally comprise a (4/6); Hendrik Kolenberg (1/1) representing Cirnigliaro, AGNSW manager, information subset of board members based on their Barry Pearce. and technology (April 2010). respective areas of interest and expertise. Relevant senior staff members and other FINANCE SUB-COMMITTEE SPONSORSHIP SUB-COMMITTEE experts are included as appropriate. The Finance Sub-Committee oversees all The Sponsorship Sub-Committee is The sub-committees are responsible for financial aspects of the Gallery, including responsible for supporting the Gallery’s monitoring their respective areas and budgeting, monitoring performance and efforts in raising corporate funding for its making recommendations to the full board ensuring stewardship of the assets. various activities. for approval or otherwise. They usually Trust members: Peter Young (chair Trust members: Sandra McPhee (chair meet within the week before the main to December 2009); Geoff Ainsworth from April 2010); David Baffsky; Peter board meeting, at which the minutes of (from February 2010); Steven Lowy; Young (to December 2009); Anne Fulwood their meetings are tabled. Mark Nelson (chair from February 2010). and Mark Nelson (from April 2010). At its April 2010 meeting the Board of External members: Bruce Cutler, partner, External members: David Gonski (chair to Trustees endorsed a recommendation Freehills (to December 2009); Mark April 2010), partner, Freehills and former to transfer the responsibilities for audit Nelson, Art Gallery of NSW Foundation Art Gallery of NSW Trust president. Staff: matters from the Finance and Audit Finance Sub-Committee (made a trustee Edmund Capon, director; Anne Flanagan, Sub-Committee to the Risk Management on 10 February 2010). Staff: Edmund deputy director; Leith Brooke, head of Sub-Committee. The relevant committees Capon, director; John Wicks, assistant business development. were then renamed the Finance Sub- director, finance and resources. There were no meetings of the Committee and the Audit and Risk Sub- There were six meetings of the Sponsorship Sub-Committee held during Committee, and in June 2010 the sub- Finance Sub-Committee during 2009–10. 2009–10. committees’ charters were refreshed to Attendance was as follows: Peter reflect their new key roles. This action was Young (4/4); Geoff Ainsworth (2/2); Bruce STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT taken to bring the Trust’s sub-committees Cutler (2/3); Mark Nelson (6/6); Steven SUB-COMMITTEE into alignment with the government’s Lowy (5/6); Edmund Capon (5/6); John The Strategy and Development Sub- reform of audit and risk committees Wicks (6/6). Committee considers strategies for across the NSW public sector. the long-term objectives of the Gallery AUDIT AND RISK SUB-COMMITTEE as a major New South Wales cultural ACQUISITONS AND LOANS The Audit and Risk Sub-Committee institution. SUB-COMMITTEE is responsible for overseeing and Trust members: Guido Belgiorno-Nettis The Acquisitions and Loans Sub- providing guidance on both strategic and (chair); David Baffsky; Steven Lowy. Staff: Committee plays an important role operational risk management matters. Edmund Capon, director; Anne Flanagan, in overseeing the collections policy. All audit matters are also overseen by deputy director. It considers curatorial proposals on this sub-committee. The sub-committee There was one meeting of the Strategy acquisitions, gifts, inward and outward submits reports and recommendations to and Development Sub-Committee held loans and (if applicable) de-accessions. the main board to enable it to discharge during 2009–10. Attendance was as

62 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 follows: Guido Belgiorno-Nettis (1/1); assurance to the Trust that the building staff attended as required. David Baffsky (1/1); Steven Lowy (1/1); projects were being managed effectively, There were five meetings of the Building Edmund Capon (1/1); Anne Flanagan (1/1). on time and on budget. Project Control Group in 2009–10. Trust member: Guido Belgiorno-Nettis Attendance was as follows: Guido BUILDING PROJECT CONTROL GROUP (chair). External members: John Morschel, Belgiorno-Nettis (5/5); John Morschel This temporary committee, which was former trustee and chairman of Leighton (5/5); Jason de Bruin (5/5; Chris Bylett re-established in 2008–09, continued to Holding Limited; Jason de Bruin, De Bruin (5/5); Anne Flanagan (5/5). operate in 2009–10 due to the extent of Projects, project manager; Chris Bylett, the Gallery’s major capital works projects Chris Bylett & Associates, cost planner. being finalised this year. The committee Staff: Anne Flanagan, deputy director. has provided an additional level of Other Gallery building services and project

Gallery staff moving Christopher Le Brun’s Untitled (wreath II) 1984 in the new collection store.

stewarding Corporate governance 63 Other Gallery entities by a trust deed or incorporated with a Sub-Committee, which monitors the The Gallery is responsible for providing memorandum and articles of association. funds invested. The support provided administrative support to three other Each has a board of trustees/directors, by the Gallery includes management, entities, namely the Art Gallery of NSW as determined by its enabling legislation. finance, corporate secretariat and general Foundation, the Brett Whiteley Foundation The board meetings are generally held administrative services. and VisAsia. Each of these entities has on a quarterly basis. The Art Gallery of a separate legal structure established NSW Foundation also has a Finance

Art Gallery of NSW Trust President: Steven Lowy Director: Edmund Capon Staff: 236 (FTE) Net assets: $1.049 billion as at 30 June 2010

Art Gallery of NSW VisAsia Brett Whiteley Art Gallery Society Foundation Chairman: John Yu Foundation of NSW Chairman: Rowena Danziger Value: $1.3 million as at Chairman: John Meacock President: Michael Feneley Value: $26.8 million as at 30 June 2010 Value: $0.3 million as at Executive Director: Craig Brush 30 June 2010 Established in 1999 30 June 2010 Value: $1.6 million as at Established in 1983 7 AGNSW representatives Established in 1994 end December 2009 6 AGNSW representatives on the Board 2 AGNSW representatives Established in 1953 on the Board on the Board

Non controlled entity. Non controlled entity. Non controlled entity. A separate legal entity controlled Enabling legislation: Art Gallery of Enabling legislation: VisAsia Enabling legislation: Brett Whiteley and operated by the Society’s NSW Foundation Deed 1983 with Constitution 1999; incorporated Agreements 1994; incorporated Council and members. subsequent amendments. entity. entity. The Art Gallery Society of NSW ABN/Gift Deductible status. ABN/Gift Deductible status. ABN/Gift Deductible status. produces its own annual report. Edmund Capon and Janice Reid Purpose: To raise funds through Purpose: To promote Asian arts Purpose: To promote and are Art Gallery of NSW Trust donations and bequests, invest and culture. encourage knowledge and representatives on the Society’s funds and use the income to acquire appreciation of the work of the late Board of directors comprises: Council. major artworks for the Gallery. Brett Whiteley. Art Gallery of NSW representatives: Since inception, the Foundation John Yu (chair), former Art Gallery Board of directors comprises: has contributed over $30 million of NSW trustee; Edmund Capon, Independent representative: John to the Gallery’s collection and has director; Jackie Menzies, head Meacock (chair). accumulated over $26 million in curator, Asian art; three vacant funds under investment. Art Gallery of NSW representatives: positions. Brian Ladd, head, public programs; Board of trustees comprises: Director/member representatives: Jane Wynter, benefaction manager. Art Gallery of NSW representatives: Steve Burdon; Philip Cox; Stephen Brett Whiteley Estate members: Rowena Danziger (chair); Jillian Menzies; Judith Rutherford; Sandra Wendy Whiteley; Anna Schwartz. Broadbent (deputy chair); Michael Forbes. Feneley; Julien Playoust; Denyse The Brett Whiteley Foundation VisAsia has its own audited financial Spice; one vacant position. has its own audited financial statements, which are lodged statements, which are lodged NSW government representatives: with the Australian Securities and with the Australian Securities and Mark Nelson; Ray Wilson. Investments Commission (ASIC). Investments Commission (ASIC). Donor representatives: Geoff In December 2008, the VisAsia Ainsworth; Brian France; Fraser Board resolved to change its Hopkins; Catriona Mordant; Reg constitution and removed control Richardson; Susan Rothwell; John of the VisAsia Board by the Art Sharpe; Peter Weiss (retired 2010). Gallery of NSW. As the operating Finance Sub-Committee: Jillian mandate of VisAsia remains Broadbent (chair); Geoff Ainsworth; unchanged and benefits are still Brian France; Mark Nelson; Julien directed to the Art Gallery of NSW, Playoust. the financial statements of VisAsia will continue to be consolidated into the financial statements of the Art Gallery of NSW.

64 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Art Gallery of NSW Foundation from income – this time, of $1 million All such works are listed within the The Art Gallery of NSW Foundation – together with pledges from supporters collections – purchases appendix of continues to raise funds to support the has enabled the Gallery to acquire an this report. Gallery’s acquisition program. Its policy important treasure. is to invest its capital (from donations The Foundation publishes its own Masterpiece Fund and bequests) and use the income to newsletter, which provides details The Masterpiece Fund was established in purchase works of art for the Gallery’s of its arts-based activities, including 2007 and its patrons have each pledged a collection. acquisitions made or projects undertaken minimum of $100,000. The first acquisition The Foundation currently has over by collection benefactor and other to be supported by the Masterpiece Fund $26 million in funds under investment. support groups. was Paul Cézanne’s Bords de la Marne Since its inception, it has contributed c1888, which was acquired in 2008. over $30 million of a total purchase price Collection benefactor A list of the Masterpiece Fund patrons of $47.5 million to acquire 28 works, and other support groups as at 30 June 2010 can be found in the which are now valued at over $90 million. Many departments within the Gallery have sponsorship and philanthropy appendix This astounding result is due to the their own support groups to help raise of this report. tireless efforts of Foundation donors and funds either for their specific collection Donations to the Gallery and the benefactors, in particular the Foundation area or, in the case of the Research Foundation are tax deductible. For trustees, past and present. Library and Archive, Public Programs, information about acknowledgement and The acquisition of Paul Cézanne’s Curatorial Support and Conservation, for opportunities for involvement with the Bords de la Marne c1888 in 2008, the special projects. Members of all groups Gallery, please contact the benefaction largest single acquisition by the Gallery who pledge a minimum commitment manager. to date, was only made possible by of $1500 per year for four years are the extraordinary contribution of the automatically deemed to be members Foundation – not just the $5 million from of the Foundation. investment income but also substantial Examples of works acquired through pledges from all the trustees and many the collection benefactor groups Foundation supporters. As a result, the and funds in 2009–10 include David Foundation’s board had been somewhat Noonan’s Untitled 3 2008 and Hossein reluctant to return so soon to its Valamanesh’s Middle path 2008, which supporters with a further request, but it were purchased with monies raised by has done so for a stunning 13th-century the Contemporary Collection Benefactors, Nepalese statue of Padmapani or the and four photographs by Jacky Redgate, Luminous Lord of Infinite Compassion. which were acquired with funds from Jane Wynter Once again the Foundation’s contribution the Photography Collection Benefactors. BA LLB Benefaction manager Email: [email protected] Telephone: (02) 9225 1818

The Gallery’s new acquisition, a Nepalese sculpture of Padmapani, on display in the Asian gallery.

stewarding Corporate governance 65 Art Gallery Society of NSW Business development The Art Gallery of NSW offers unique The key aims of the Art Gallery Society Despite a difficult period in global financial opportunities to align the corporate are to engage the wider community markets, the Gallery’s support from our community with a national icon, an with the Gallery through its membership sponsors has been unswerving. We extensive exhibition and events program program and to acquire works of art for greatly appreciate their generosity and and a magnificent collection. the Gallery’s collection. The 2009–10 year loyalty, which meant that we enjoyed a Sponsorship provides an imaginative was significant in terms of acquisitions, very successful year. and creative way for businesses to build with the Society contributing $1,066,455 In 2009–10, we were delighted to their brand identity and to engage with towards new artworks, which are listed welcome three new sponsors: ANZ, who their staff and clients in a style that sets in the collection – purchases appendix of are in their first year as principal sponsor them apart from their competitors. At the this report. of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Gallery, we pride ourselves on our ability The Collection Circle is the Society’s Prizes exhibitions; HSBC, who were major to create true partnerships. The Business fundraising group for the acquisition of sponsor of Garden and cosmos; and Development team works with corporate specific works. This year, it purchased Optus, whose support of the Open Gallery partners to develop and deliver a tailored Arthur Boyd’s Nude carrying a ram 1962, program enables students from priority- program of benefits that fulfil specific which the Gallery’s head curator of funded schools to experience the Gallery. entertaining and corporate relations Australian art, Barry Pearce, described Our ongoing principal sponsors were: requirements. as ‘a supreme masterpiece of the series, Ernst & Young, who sponsored both Throughout the sponsorship, the indeed perhaps of the artist’s career’. Rupert Bunny and Paths to abstraction Gallery continues to evaluate the benefits This was the first Boyd acquisition by the 1867–1917; J.P. Morgan, who continued provided to ensure that sponsors are Society and the fourth work contributed sponsorship of the Brett Whiteley Studio receiving maximum value from their by the Collection Circle. for the fourth year; Macquarie Capital, investment. The Society’s vibrant group for younger who moved into their second year With the major new building members, Contempo, contributed Del sponsoring our Art After Hours program; development and the exciting program Kathryn Barton’s come of things 2010 to Qantas, who completed their 15th year of upcoming exhibitions, there has the contemporary collection. as official airline and principal sponsor never been a better time to be involved The Gallery and the Society would also of the Yiribana Gallery; and UBS, who with the Gallery. For more information, like to acknowledge Michael Feneley, continued their involvement with the Level please contact the head of business who retired from the Society Council in 2 Contemporary Galleries program for a development. May. Michael served as a councillor from fourth year. 2002 to 2006 and president from 2006 to Delta Electricity’s commitment to the 2010, and his extraordinary commitment Gallery was ongoing with support for and contribution to the Society is greatly Rupert Bunny and Alfred Stieglitz, while appreciated. Optimal Fund Management renewed their association with the Asian galleries as major sponsor of Hymn to beauty. We would also like to acknowledge Hyperion Asset Management for their sponsorship of conservation work on William Strutt’s 1868 painting David’s first victory. Leith Brooke In addition, we thank our other BA (Comm) generous and loyal supporters: Avantcard, Head of business development City of Sydney, Clayton Utz, Freehills, Email: [email protected] JCDecaux, Porter’s Original Paints, Sofitel Telephone: (02) 9225 1829 Sydney Wentworth and The Sydney Morning Herald.

66 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 EXECUTIVE as at 30 June 2010

Edmund Capon Anne Flanagan Anthony Bond John Wicks

Mr Edmund Capon AM, OBE Ms Anne Flanagan Mr Bond’s curatorial specialisation M Phil Dip Int Design, Dip Ed, Dip Vis Arts is in 20th-century and contemporary Director and chief curator Deputy director international art. His recent major projects Edmund Capon has been director of the Anne Flanagan joined the Gallery in 1992. include curating Aperiatur Terra, on the Art Gallery of NSW since November 1978. Her academic background includes visual work of Anselm Kiefer in conjunction with For the previous five years he held the arts, interior design and education. For White Cube in London (2007); the Self position of Assistant Keeper, Far Eastern more than two decades she has worked portrait exhibition in conjunction with the Section, Victoria and Albert Museum. within arts organisations, including the London Portrait Gallery (2006); Trace, the He attained his Master of Philosophy in Crafts Council of NSW, Powerhouse inaugural Liverpool Biennial in England Chinese art and archaeology, including Museum, Biennale of Sydney, Australian (1999); and Body, an exhibition tracing language, from London University’s Bicentennial Authority and Historic aspects of realism in art from the mid 19th Department of Oriental and African Houses Trust of NSW. century (1997). Studies with his thesis entitled ‘The Ms Flanagan is responsible for interdependence of Chinese Buddhist three key areas: building and facility Mr John Wicks sculpture in bronze and stone from AD386 management including major capital B Bus, FCPA to 581’, and is a recognised world expert projects such as the collection store and Assistant director, finance and resources in his field. the upgrade of the lower level 2 display John Wicks joined the Gallery in 2008. Mr Capon is a visiting fellow in the galleries for contemporary art, and He is a fellow of the Australian Society School of Languages and Linguistics, building maintenance and mechanical of Certified Practising Accountants Faculty of Arts and Sciences, at services; exhibitions, including exhibition and holds a Bachelor of Business with the University of NSW; has curated management, exhibitions registration, an accounting major from Charles exhibitions encompassing Asian, installation, audiovisual, workshop, Sturt University. He has over 19 years European and Australian art; written stores, graphics and multimedia design, experience in the arts sector, including extensively on Chinese art and information and ticketing; and security as executive director, finance and archaeology and on artists such as Jeffrey and gallery services. services at the Australia Council for the Smart, Caravaggio and Giacometti; Arts in Sydney and thereafter as chief written and presented a three-part BBC Mr Anthony Bond OAM financial officer at the Cultural Facilities Television documentary entitled Meishu: B Ed (Hons) Corporation in Canberra. His last position travels in Chinese art, which has been Assistant director, curatorial services before joining the Gallery’s executive was distributed worldwide; and developed Anthony Bond joined the Gallery in chief financial officer at Hurstville City the Art Gallery of NSW as a centre for 1984 as curator of contemporary art. In Council. Asian art display and education. He is a January 1995, he was appointed to the Mr Wicks is the chief financial officer member of the Council of Australian Art executive management team. Mr Bond and company secretary for the Art Gallery Museum Directors (CAAMD) and is on is responsible for curatorial services. He of NSW Trust, the Art Gallery of NSW the board of Melbourne University Press. currently oversees the Gallery’s curatorial Foundation, VisAsia and the Brett Whiteley He was awarded a Doctor of Letters departments, conservation, registration, Foundation. He is also responsible for (honoris causa) from the University of public programs, research library and human resources, strategic planning, New South Wales in 2000 and from archive, photography studio/digitisation legal services, government relations Macquarie University in 2010 and has and copyright. He is also the Gallery’s and records management, information been honoured by the French, Italian, head curator, Western art, with special communication technology, website and British and Australian governments for his responsibility for 20th-century and visitor services, which include the Gallery contribution to art and culture. contemporary international collections. He Shop, and management of the venue hire, was formerly director of Wollongong City restaurant and cafe contract. Gallery and assistant director of the Art Gallery of Western Australia.

stewarding Corporate governance 67 Organisation structure Director and chief curator The Gallery’s executive management team comprises the director, deputy director and two assistant directors. Each division of the Gallery reports to a member of the executive. The executive management Executive and Marketing director Head of business Benefaction team meets every fortnight. curatorial support development manager

Marketing Tourism Media relations

Deputy director

Building and facilities Exhibitions Security and management Gallery services

Building services Exhibition management Security Mechanical services Exhibitions registration Gallery services Off-site storage planning Installation group AV services Workshop and stores Design Information and ticketing Curator, special exhibitions

Assistant director, curatorial

Public programs Australian art Asian art Western art Research library and archive Painting and China Pre-1900 Registration sculpture India Modern and Conservation Prints, drawings Japan contemporary Photographic studio and watercolours South East Asia Photography Brett Whiteley Studio Aboriginal and Prints, drawings Copyright Torres Strait and watercolours Islander art

Assistant director, finance and resources

Information communication Venue management Strategic planning technology Gallery Shop Government relations Finance including records Human resources management Corporate secretariat and legal

68 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Management committees Risk management Gallery Society of NSW, the Art Gallery of Risk management is essential to good NSW Foundation and the Brett Whiteley GENERAL GALLERY corporate governance and involves Foundation. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE implementing effective planning and decision-making processes and building The General Gallery Management STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY Committee oversees the operations of organisation structures to protect against As director and chief curator of the Art the Gallery and is charged with ensuring negative events. The Gallery is committed Gallery of NSW, I have worked with all Gallery responsibilities and activities to a risk management approach to my executive team, senior managers are properly fulfilled. Members of the implement strategies that address and other employees to have in committee also ensure that information both internal and external risks to its place risk management and internal from the committee’s deliberations is operations. control processes designed to provide delivered to all staff. The committee meets External risks, their indicators and the transparency and accountability and six times per year, following each of the management strategies to control them, ensure that the Gallery operates to the main Board of Trustees meetings. are part of the Gallery’s strategic planning highest standards applicable, uses Members: director; deputy director; and performance management processes. resources efficiently and meets its assistant director, curatorial services; Internal risks are addressed through objectives. assistant director, finance and resources; policies, procedures and internal controls. These processes include strategic head curator, Australian art; head curator, The Gallery’s internal auditors, planning, organisational performance Asian art; director, marketing; head, public appointed independently by Communities monitoring, controls on the use of programs; head, security and Gallery NSW, undertake detailed risk analysis to monetary and physical resources, services; senior manager, exhibitions; determine the Gallery’s business-wide division of responsibilities, engaging Art Gallery Society of NSW executive risk matrix. This informs the Executive external assessment and advice director; manager, retail and publishing; and senior management and enables where appropriate, and managing senior registrar, collections; benefaction priority setting in the audit program. This an outsourced internal audit function manager; head of business development; risk management policy and framework that focuses on financial and manager, information and technology; and is managed through the Audit and Risk operational risks. a minute secretary. Sub-Committee (see page 62) and is To the best of my knowledge, this consistent with the principles of the system of risk management and CURATORIAL COMMITTEE Australian/New Zealand Risk Management internal control operated satisfactorily Standard (AS/NZS 4360:2004). The Curatorial Committee is a broad- during the year. based forum for more general discussion The Gallery’s strategic risks include and debates covering all curatorial business continuity, collection matters, with special reference to management, exhibition management, exhibition performance and priorities as human resources, fraud and corruption, and physical assets. Insurable risks are well as acquisitions, programming and Edmund Capon managed through the NSW Treasury conservation. The committee meets four Director and chief curator times per year. Managed Fund. For further information on Members: director; deputy director; the Gallery’s risk management, including 13 August 2010 assistant director, curatorial services; insurance risk, see page 70. head curator, Australian art; senior During 2009–10, the Trust’s Audit curator, Australian prints, drawings and and Risk Sub-Committee reviewed Audits watercolours; senior curator, Aboriginal risk analysis of volunteers and cash Internal audit reviews were conducted and Torres Strait Islander art; senior management. A further review of by Deloitte during the year on business curator, Australian art; curator, Australian security and security technology continuity planning, the security upgrade prints; senior curator, European art, enhancements was undertaken by the program and succession planning, with pre-1900; senior curator, photography; sub-committee and a business continuity the cost of the audit program borne senior curator, contemporary art; plan for information technology and by Communities NSW. The findings on curator, European prints, drawings and communications back-up and recovery business continuity planning and the watercolours; head curator, Asian art; systems was developed by the Gallery security upgrade program were reported senior curator, Chinese art; curator, and reviewed by the sub-committee. The to the Audit and Risk Sub-Committee Japanese art; curator, special exhibitions; sub-committee also reviewed financial during the financial year. The succession head, public programs; and a minute delegations and recommended changes planning review’s findings, when secretary. to delegation levels, which were endorsed completed, will also be presented to this by the Board of Trustees and are currently sub-committee. The implementation of with Communities NSW’s Business audit review findings are also monitored Assurance Branch for ministerial approval. by the Audit and Risk Sub-Committee. The sub-committee also reviewed the Trust’s relationships with VisAsia, the Art

stewarding Corporate governance 69 Insurance Industrial relations There were two major professional As a NSW statutory authority, the Gallery There were no industrial disputes during development scholarships available is covered under the Treasury Managed 2009–10. The Gallery’s Joint Consultative via competitive application to Gallery Fund (TMF), a government self-insurance Committee, comprising management employees in 2009–10, one from the scheme. There were no new major claims and employee representatives, continued Art Gallery Society of NSW and a newly during the 2009–10 year. to meet on a regular basis to address initiated one from the Art Gallery of NSW employment-related issues. Trust. The Society’s scholarship was Legal The Gallery’s injury management awarded to Michelle Andringa, copyright There were no legal matters or legislative process is effective in returning workers and image coordinator, to travel overseas changes during 2009–10 that impacted to pre-injury duties as quickly as possible. to pursue the critical and increasingly the Gallery’s operations. This is reflected in reduced time lost and complex world of copyright. The Trust’s the capacity of the Gallery to provide scholarship was awarded to Nik Rieth, Policy development suitable duties and gradual return to work senior installation technician, to travel During the year, a new corporate plan for programs thereby minimising time lost. to museums in Europe and the US to 2010–15 was developed and endorsed Preventative measures such as influenza experience and study display techniques. by the Trust. This year’s annual report injections and exercise classes are made In 2009–10, Gallery staff training also includes the strategic outcomes for available to all staff. The Gallery actively included manual handling courses for 2009–10 against the four key priority implements injury management by specific occupations. During the year, areas – Sharing, Engaging, Stewarding, maintaining contact with injured workers, 135 staff undertook training in this area, and Collecting. treating doctors and insurers. conducted by Courtnell, an established During the year, the Gallery also The Gallery’s Occupational Health and OH&S training provider. In 2010–11, the refreshed and re-issued policies on motor Safety (OH&S) Committee is an internal Gallery will focus on compliance training, vehicle usage, Cabcharge usage, booking advisory body that undertakes workplace which will be delivered online. of air travel, and the engagement of inspections and reviews procedures volunteers and interns. and practices, and, where appropriate, Volunteer children’s guides training education visits makes recommendations to management for improvements to minimise OH&S The current volunteer children’s guides The Gallery continued the visitation quota workplace risks. Bi-monthly reports on (the Gallery’s educators of primary- implemented in 2008–09 of no more the incidence of accidents and workers school-age children) continued to receive than 1000 school students per day, and compensation claims are reviewed by the ongoing training of up to 40 hours significant changes and improvements OH&S Committee and the Trust’s Audit annually delivered by the education were made to booking procedures for and Risk Sub-Committee. coordinators and invited speakers education groups. One such measure from within the Gallery. The training was the allocation of time slots for school professional development was organised as a series of bi-weekly groups into the major exhibitions, which The Gallery is an active supporter workshops throughout the school year. allowed staff to better organise the entry of professional development of its In 2009–10 workshops were presented of these groups into the Gallery building, employees. Staff are supported through on the exhibitions Intensely Dutch, especially after the closure of the trial the provision of study leave to enhance Rupert Bunny, 40 years: Kaldor Public Art education entrance, which means that their academic qualifications. During Projects, Garden and cosmos, Victorian schools are again coming in through the 2009–10, several Gallery employees visions, Archibald Prize 2010 and The front door with the general public. continued their collection research in the Dreamers. All sessions were linked to The end of 2010 will bring more UK and France, while other staff members strategies developed for the exhibition changes to school group bookings with travelled to various locations in Europe education kits and children’s trails and the introduction of a new computerised and Asia conducting negotiations of loans included practical ideas for engagement system. Designed by the Art Gallery for the Gallery’s upcoming exhibition and interaction, and tours through each Society of NSW specifically for our unique program. Several staff members where of these exhibitions were offered to needs, the system heralds a new era invited to present papers to international Kindergarten to Year 6 audiences. that will hopefully improve on this year’s conferences and participate in workshops A new intake of 52 volunteer children’s achievements in the organisation and flow staged by various organisations of arts guides – 50 women and two men, of school groups through the building. professionals. This year, three staff selected from a large field – commenced An improved booking system will better members attended the Australasian an intensive nine-month training course equip us to cope with the high and steady Registrars Conference, held in New in March 2010. The course involves a number of students visiting the Gallery Zealand. These overseas trips also full-day program every Tuesday focusing and attending programs and will also provide the opportunity for staff to on the Gallery’s collection and activities, benefit the education audience through develop professional relationships with strategies for engaging young children quicker communication and greater clarity their peers from international institutions. with art, and presentation skills, and of information. More details can be found in this report’s includes a trip to the studio of Colin appendix on overseas travel. Lanceley to view how an artist works

70 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 in order to gain an understanding of Four-year occupational health and safety comparative data processes and materials. Upon successful completion of the course, which includes 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 several written assignments, regular peer- Number of work-related injuries resulting group presentations, a practice tour with in workers compensation claims 6 9 9 9 an invited school group and a written test, Number of work-related illnesses 0 0 0 0 these volunteers will become probationary Prosecutions under the Occupational guides from the start of Term 4 in 2010. Health and Safety Act 2000 0 0 0 0 They will become fully-fledged guides in 2011 once they have led several tours and been observed and assessed by Gallery Staff profile staff and the current volunteer guides 30 June 30 June 30 June 30 June 30 June committee. This will be a vital boost to FTEs average over 12 months 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 numbers as our Art Adventure Tours for Building services, security primary students, led by the volunteer and Gallery officers 60 60 63 63 61 children’s guides, continue to be a popular Curatorial services 48 48 56 63 58 education program. Curatorial 27 32 32 30 28 Employee remuneration and Exhibition/display 25 23 25 36 37 staff benefits Finance and The Public Sector Salaries Award management services 18 18 18 19 18 implemented in July 2008 delivered a Commercial services 16 14 15 18 15 12% pay increase to Gallery staff with Marketing and business three instalments of 4% to be paid over development 16 13 11 7 10 three years – 2008, 2009 and 2010. Total 210 208 220 236 227 The Gallery continues to provide a range of staff benefits to employees. The overall decrease in full-time employees engaged for the Monet and These include salary sacrifice for personal equivalent (FTE) staff numbers for the Impressionists temporary exhibition contributions to superannuation, salary 2009–10 relates to a number of factors. shop. The increase in the marketing and packaging for purchase of motor vehicles The decrease in numbers of security business development area is due to and cash advances to purchase transport and curatorial staff is due to vacant some key positions needing to be filled tickets. positions not yet filled; this will be during maternity leave absences thereby Other staff benefits include staff redressed in 2010–11. The decrease accruing additional staff numbers and discounts at the Gallery Shop, Art Gallery in commercial services staff numbers costs for the paid leave period. Society of NSW, restaurant and cafe. The reverses the 2008–09 increase in casual Gallery has also negotiated arrangements for staff to access discounted parking at the Domain Car Park.

Employee assistance program For many years the Gallery has offered employees a confidential counselling service, external to the Gallery. The counselling service is available to all staff and their immediate family and provides counselling on a range of issues including interpersonal relationships, financial planning, stress and critical incident debriefing. The current provider of counselling services to the Gallery is PPC Worldwide.

stewarding Corporate governance 71 04 collecting

Major collection acquisitions 77 Archives 84 Conservation 84

Collecting to strengthen and safeguard our collection through targeted acquisitions and best-practice collection management, research and conservation

priority performance targets Achievements in 2009–10 plans for 2010–11

Continue to strengthen and Acquire significant works across Achieved. A total of 425 works were Acquire important works consolidate our collection the main collection areas, including added to the Gallery’s collection. across all major collection through a targeted and ‘iconic’ works. areas. focused acquisitions The iconic painting First-class program, including the marksman by Australian artist acquisition of iconic or Sidney Nolan was acquired with master works. funding from the Gleeson O’Keefe Foundation. Other major works acquired this year include a 13th-century Nepalese sculpture known as the Luminous Lord of Infinite Compassion, a long-lost masterpiece by Ethel Carrick, a large-scale painting by Angelina George depicting southeast Arnhem Land and many new works from Australian and international contemporary artists. For more information about this work and other acquisitions, see pages 77-83.

Grow the dedicated Ensure adequate funding is available Achieved. $11.8 million in artworks As collection funding is funding sources that to support the acquisition program. were acquired for the collection. from our support entities enable collection and private benefactors, acquisitions. a conservative acquisition budget of $2 million has been set for 2010–11.

Increase the capital balance of the Achieved. The Foundation capital To meet our performance Gallery’s Foundation by more than balance increased from $22 million target. $1 million. as at 30 June 2009 to $26 million as at 30 June 2010.

Aim for contributions by the Society Achieved. The Art Gallery Society To meet our performance towards collection acquisitions to of NSW contributed $1.07 million target. total more than $750,000. towards artworks for the collection.

Maintain collection benefactor Achieved. The collection benefactor To meet our performance groups to support the acquisition groups helped to acquired 68 works target. of artworks for the photography, for the collection: Prints, Drawings contemporary, Australian prints, and Watercolours – 5; Aboriginal – drawings and watercolours, and 20; Contemporary – 7; Photography Indigenous art areas. – 26; joint acquisition by Aboriginal and Photography – 10. For more information about these outcomes, see pages 72–83.

Previous: Gallery staff installing Del Kathryn Barton’s come of things 2010, synthetic polymer paint, gouache, watercolour and pen on polyester canvas, 2 parts: 150 x 360 cm overall. Purchased with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society of NSW Contempo Group 2010.

74 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 priority performance targets Achievements in 2009–10 plans for 2010–11

Implement best-practice Continue to upgrade the collection Achieved. There was a major To meet our performance collection management management system (CMS) for upgrade to the CMS database during target. systems to ensure access better management of collection the year which enhanced search and to and security of our information. reporting functionality. collection.

Update the CMS database with all Achieved. Information about works To meet our performance conservation work undertaken on examined by the Conservation target. collection objects. Department was updated in the CMS. Further information about these outcomes can be found on page 84.

Provide free access to the CMS via Achieved. CMS is fully updated To meet our performance the Gallery’s website with 100% of within three months of each target. the collection searchable. Acquisitions and Loans Sub- Committee recommendation being endorsed by the Board of Trustees.

Ensure the Gallery’s Continue to make the Gallery’s Achieved. Despite the temporary To meet our performance collection is accessible and collection available for loans and loan moratorium in place during target. supports the endeavours of research. the packing and transfer of the NSW regional museum and collection to the new collection galleries. store, the Gallery lent 79 works from the collection, including works to NSW regional galleries such as Port Macquarie, Tweed River and Wollongong.

Continue to strengthen our Staff to participate in arts Achieved. Gallery staff attended To meet our performance knowledge base through professional development events 26 arts professional development target. scholarship and research (symposia, forums and workshops) events including participating in nine to ensure the continuing locally and internationally. international events. relevance and meaning of our collection, and its contribution to the cultural wealth and heritage of the NSW.

collecting 75 Our permanent collection forms the heart and soul of the Art Gallery of NSW and is the foundation of our activities and responsibilities. We aim to strengthen and safeguard our collection through targeted acquisitions, including iconic and master works, and best-practice collection management, research and conservation, while providing improved and more in-depth public access to it. The Gallery will continue to focus on collecting the art of our time – a focus which over the coming years will reshape the collection, the visitor experience and the Gallery itself, as contemporary art continues to stretch the boundaries of artistic practice.

The acquisition of this painting for Sydney fulfils a long-held ambition to bring into the collection one of the iconic images of Nolan. On behalf of the Gallery and the people of NSW, a huge thank you to the trustees of the Gleeson O’Keefe Foundation for making this landmark acquisition possible. Edmund Capon, director, Art Gallery of NSW Major collection acquisitions

During 2009–10 the Gallery acquired, through purchase and gifts, 425 works of art for our collection, valued at $11.8 million. The Gallery also loaned 79 works of art to 31 venues including to NSW regional galleries, other NSW arts institutions, interstate galleries and an overseas institution. A full listing of collection activity (purchases, gifts, loans) is available in the appendices of this report. This section highlights some of the major works acquired this year which either strengthen holdings of artists already represented in the collection or filled gaps in the Gallery’s holdings through our targeted acquisitions.

Padmapani A major acquisition for the Gallery this year has been a Nepalese sculpture of Padmapani dating from around the 13th century. Made of gilt copper, lapis lazuli, gems and stones, it is an exceptional image of Avalokiteshvara, the most revered bodhisattva in the Buddhist pantheon. Padmapani, or Lotus-bearer, is one of several other titles bestowed on him, including the Luminous Lord of Infinite Compassion, the Bodhisattva of Mercy and Lokeshvara (Lord of the World). This sculpture is typical for Nepalese work in that it is made of copper, yet remarkable for being cast in one piece and exceptionally large, so far the tallest documented piece of its type. The gilding so characteristic of Buddhist metalwork Padmapani c1200s, gilt copper, lapis lazuli, gems and stones, h 91.4 cm. Purchased with funds from accords with Buddhist textual references the Art Gallery of NSW Foundation, the Art Gallery Society of NSW Collection Circle and with the to the radiance emitted by the Buddha’s assistance of Sam & Sue Chisholm, Geoff & Vicki Ainsworth, Maurice Cashmere, Rowena Danziger (and by association, bodhisattva’s) body – AM & Ken Coles AM, Sandra Forbes & Robert Farrar, Brian France AM & Philippa France, Roslyn & a radiance that fills the universe with light. Alex Hunyor, Ray Wilson OAM in memory of James Agapitos OAM, 2010. This fluidly articulated figure, undoubtedly modelled by a master sculptor of great Sidney Nolan’s First-class But of greater interest is how this aesthetic sensibility, is assuredly classic in marksman work came to be prised away from its its proportions and pose: it stands regally This rare and important masterpiece by a siblings in the first instance in the mid frontal, its slim, well-proportioned body painter credited with revolutionising the 1970s. It was requested from John and gracefully posed in the classic tribhanga way we see the Australian landscape was Sunday Reed at Heide for an exhibition of (triple-bend) posture that renders rhythm long a target in the Gallery’s campaign Nolan’s work in Stockholm and returned and natural grace to the figure. to lift its representation of Sidney Nolan. to the artist in London instead of back to In terms of its subject, exemplary For many years it was on loan to the Australia. It then passed into the hands technique and aesthetic quality, this National Gallery of Victoria from the Vizard of Lord McAlpine and was eventually masterpiece will be a highlight of our Foundation, separated from the other 26 purchased by the Vizard Foundation. collection. panels of the iconic 1946–47 Kelly series Clearly, in initiating this arrangement, in the National Gallery of Australia. Nolan felt First-class marksman stood

collecting Major collection acquisitions 77 Sidney Nolan First-class marksman 1946 © The Trustees of the Sidney Nolan Trust. Ethel Carrick La marée haute a Saint-Malô (High tide at St Malo) c1911–12, oil on canvas, 79 x 64 cm. Purchased with funds provided by the Gleeson O’Keefe Foundation 2009. apart from the rest of the series. Painted at a plein-air painting camp in St Ives époque leisure completed in the artist’s on 12 December 1946, it depicts Ned soon after her studies were completed at Paris studio from small studies made at Kelly in a dramatic black suit, cut off by the Slade School, London, in 1903. Two Trouville on the Brittany coast in 1911; the bottom of the composition; at once years later they married, but within just a and Ethel’s image of St Malo, conveying destroying our detachment and making decade Phillips Fox died at the peak of his a moment of dramatic tidal influx with us part of the outlaw’s space; inviting esteem, having spent a substantial part of brisk painterly language from a trip the us to accompany him on his journey to his career fruitfully in France. Carrick’s life couple made to that fortified town further a realm commanded by the direction of with him had thus been brief, but her work west along the coast, soon after their visit his rifle, metaphor for Nolan’s paintbrush. clearly blossomed with his influence, even to Trouville. The sense of difference of First-class if it was somewhat overshadowed by his marksman is more simply explained, illustrious success. Indeed, it was not until Del Kathryn Barton’s however, when we realise this was the after the acquisition in 1949 of what may come of things only panel not painted on the dining be regarded his most significant work, The Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton table at Heide but at the house of the ferry c1910–11, that the Gallery bought its is one of Australia’s most prominent Russian expatriate artist Danila Vassilieff first painting by her – three years after her younger painters. She has established at Warrandyte, where Nolan was caretaker death. Flower market, Nice, purchased in her reputation with such pictorially and for two months. Its informal rendering 1955, a restrained market scene subject, technically complex and highly detailed of the landscape in an alternate context has struggled to hold its own whenever paintings as come of things, a very fine to Kelly country – swift, transparent, hung with the permanent displays. example of her practice. This work is hallucinatory – became in Nolan’s hands Now the imbalance has been rectified. classic Barton, with elongated, decadent yet another original invention, bearing La marée haute a Saint-Malô c1911–12 and sexually ambiguous figures entwined fruit just two years later in Sydney when is one of Carrick’s most beautiful and in the fertile landscape and abundant he painted an amazing series based on adventurous paintings to appear on the plant and animal life surrounding them. outback Queensland. market for many years. It was made at Barton has laboured meticulously over about the same time as The ferry, much her mark-making in this work, with every Ethel Carrick’s La marée haute a smaller in scale yet more than a match stroke, dot and run of paint counting in Saint-Malô (High tide at St Malo) for it in bravura of brushwork, brilliance of the final composition. The attention to Before its recent acquisition at auction, colour, and compositional inventiveness. detail almost overwhelms the subject, this long-lost masterpiece by Ethel Carrick Seeing these two paintings hanging as paint and image merge into and was last seen exhibited in Australia in together we witness two emanations emerge from each other across the 1913. Carrick was a highly talented young of the impressionist vision within the surface of the canvas. An unashamed Englishwoman who met her husband, very closest of relationships: Emanuel’s attention to the decorative is typical of the Australian artist Emanuel Phillips Fox, slowly constructed projection of belle- Barton’s practice, tracing a lineage to the

78 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Tracey Moffatt Plantation (Diptych no 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12) 2009, each a diptych, 46 x 50.5 cm: 2 digital prints with archival pigments, InkAid, watercolour paint and archival glue on handmade Chautara Lokta paper. Purchased with funds provided by the Photography Collection Benefactors 2010. Photos: courtesy Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery.

reclaiming of women’s domestic craft vines growing from and entwining sexual dried paint. Laid down upon handmade in some feminist practices as well as to organs and the surrounding nature. paper, with its nuance of unique fibres contemporary fashion and design. In and wrinkling, the antiquated feel of Barton’s work, while the decorative may Tracey Moffatt’s Plantation these photographs is enhanced, as the also be feminine, it is entangled in a dense The 2009 Plantation series is significant artist deliberately steers us to reconsider skein of psychosexual impulses which as it heralds Tracey Moffatt’s return the past. Moffatt’s neatly paired images, weave through the visual elements of her to her earlier stylistic and conceptual with their elegant vignetting that creates painting. come of things depicts an almost themes – exploration of race relations, fanciful roundels and Orientalist fan primordial scene in which glistening social constraints, and engagement with shapes, conjure up colonial society’s airs plants, beautifully groomed creatures photographic history – elements that in of gentility and civility. Ever the subversive, and woodsprite-like figures, which could this artist’s hands have always produced however, Moffatt ruptures this façade be male or female, suggest a fusion of powerful results. As such, this latest with scenes from a sugar plantation that creativity, nature and art. The paintings series resonates strongly with her earlier are filled with foreboding and fire. Viewed from the series to which this belongs photographic works such as Something as a group, the simmering tensions of seem to embody a moment where nature more 1989 and Laudanum 1998. Moffatt race relations, fears and desires of life and humankind are deeply embedded combines contemporary and historical upon the colonial plantation ignite. As rather than alienated, a vision utopian in photographic processes, incorporating the Gallery has a major collection of this its fecund abundance but also disturbing late 19th-century presentation and internationally renowned artist’s work (98 in its overripe and undefined eroticism. colonial-style imagery while experimenting works, including Plantation), it is important Figures and creatures are literally rooted with the alternative printing of digital to maintain this representation where into their environment, with tendrils and photography onto a warped surface of possible with new and significant works.

collecting Major collection acquisitions 79 Angelina George untitled 2008, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 200 x 250 cm. Arthur Boyd Nude carrying a ram 1962, oil on canvas, 160 x 167.2 Purchased with funds provided by the Aboriginal Collection Benefactors 2009. cm. Purchased with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society of NSW 2009. © Reproduced with the permission of Bundanon Trust.

Angelina George undulating topography of the Ruined City and yet of great beauty and enduring Angelina George is recognised for her in the dry season. Gestural brushstrokes emotional expression. dramatic depictions of southeast Arnhem show the play of light and shadow on the An almost eight-metre-long paper Land, both real and remembered, as rock formations of this revered landscape, scroll is unwound along the gallery wall. portrayed in this exceptional untitled pared back to its most fundamental Hand-written on the scroll in Farsi script large-scale painting from 2008. Like her elements. is the word ‘love’, repeated over and over relation Ginger Riley Munduwalawala, Funds generously provided by the by the artist in an act of concentration George eschews stylistic tendencies to Aboriginal Collection Benefactors were and dedication. The sense of an ancient create an individual vision of her country, used to purchase this work for the tradition suggested by the form of the harsh and imposing, yet rendered with Gallery’s collection of Aboriginal and scroll and the Persian text is reinforced affection. This is perhaps George’s Torres Strait Islander art. by the material Valamanesh has used for most exceptional work to date and is a his mark-making; the script is entirely valuable addition to the Gallery’s small Hossein Valamanesh’s written in saffron. Derived from the crocus but significant collection of works from Middle path flower, saffron has been grown and used Ngukurr. George is the youngest of the so- Hossein Valamanesh’s art has a sense for thousands of years in Iran, which called Joshua sisters (Gertie Huddleston, of poetic wonder, in which natural remains the world’s largest producer Betty Roberts and Dinah Garadji), the materials and references to cultural of this spice. The word love is written daughters of the first Indigenous pastor history and personal memory intertwine boldly and strongly at the beginning of of Roper River mission, who all became as a metaphor for human experience. An the scroll and yet towards the centre recognised artists. With their surprisingly engagement with a sense of place informs it becomes less present, gently fading individual approaches and styles the much of his practice, but one which is as away until just a trace of luminous text Joshua sisters, along with Ginger Riley much about metaphysics as observable remains. In a mirroring of the first part Munduwalawala, Willie Gudabi and fact. Valamanesh was born in 1949 and of the scroll, it subsequently gradually Djumbu Barra Barra, revolutionised the grew up in the remote Iranian town of remerges as strongly as it began. Middle art of Ngukurr. Since the first works Khash, near the Pakistan border, and path was included in an exhibition by the produced in 1987, the artistic output of later trained as an artist in Tehran before artist entitled No love lost, but rather than Ngukurr artists has been distinguished emigrating to Australia in 1973. His work meaning a lack of love or conflict, this title by bright colours and bold iconography. often draws on the Australian landscape refers to not losing love, to not letting any The work of George may be considered as well as on Iranian culture, in particular love go, to the importance of retaining bold and daring, but in contrast to her Iranian poetry and the Sufi mystical love. The scroll itself is displayed with only contemporaries, she offers a refined tradition. Middle path 2008 is a superb the centre showing, which suggests that palette. Her paintings are dominated by example of his recent work, appearing love fading, but then remerging with care expressive tonal variations depicting the deceptively simple in its material form and attention as strong as it was before, is

80 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 a cyclical and continuous process, part of nude with red hair fluoresces with the the famous Chinese centre of porcelain the human condition. consequence of the huntress’s judgement making. All pieces were moulded and like a tragic hallucination. Armless and glazed by Liu with celadon being chosen Arthur Boyd’s Nude blind, she is attacked by a beast of her not only for its historic significance but carrying a ram own concoction, one leg plunging into a also because it enhances the rococo Distinguished Australian academic Franz creek, the other forming with the torso a designs on the handles. Hence Liu feels, Philipp typified the basic condition of diagonal axis wheeling towards oblivion. in this context, the merging of glaze to Arthur Boyd’s vision as an awareness improve pattern is another metaphor of evil working in tandem with an Liu Xiaoxian’s The way we eat associated with the relationship of East obsession for the good. Nowhere did An important contemporary Asian and West. Boyd bring this to more violent resolution acquisition this year, purchased with An interesting contrast to our more than in his Diana and Acteon series of funds donated by the Allimac Trust 2010 traditional celadon pieces, the work is a 1962, to which this image is strongly in memory of Peter J Love, was the fitting addition to our growing collection of related. Boyd had arrived in London in ceramic installation work The way we contemporary Asian art. 1960 intending to stay for only a short eat 2009 (the first in an edition of three) period. So propitious was his arrival by the Chinese–Australian artist Liu Rosemary Laing’s A dozen however, with Bryan Robertson at the Xiaoxian. The left side of the installation useless actions for grieving Whitechapel Gallery promoting Australian comprises an extensive array of Western blondes art like some brilliant new flower that cutlery (some quite unusual) and the right Sydney-based photo-media artist intoxicated the international imagination, side, tellingly, a single pair of chopsticks. Rosemary Laing is best known for her six months turned into twelve years. But The comparison of the minutiae of the large-scale cinematic images in which she it was not just the ready reception of European tradition of eating as reflected tackles genres (particularly landscape) his work that encouraged Boyd to stay, in the cutlery with the simple chopsticks head on, deconstructing visual and including a successful retrospective at the the Chinese use for everything is for Liu ‘a conceptual codes while reconfiguring Whitechapel in 1962. London’s profoundly metaphoric symbol of traditional Chinese and reflecting back the elements at play. stimulating art collections deepened his culture and the ancient philosophy that Her interest in the intersections between growing passion for myths and mythology “less is more”’. The ceramic cutlery has the natural and the artificial, the real as the driving force of his oeuvre and a been made from moulds of disparate and the constructed is a continuous vehicle to explore the human condition. pieces Liu collected over several years thread that runs across her practice At the National Gallery, Boyd saw a from second-hand shops. Thus the ‘set’ – enacted photographically through particular masterpiece that galvanised is not a set in the Western sense, since it staged interactions with environments a plethora of paintings and graphics is mismatched in terms of patterns and and bodies. Akin to a film director, she during the 1960s. It was Titian’s late purpose. Moulds from dinnerware silver carefully choreographs her images and Death of Acteon, on loan from the Earl of of traditional classic patterns are placed as a result her spectacular photographs Harewood, depicting Acteon being turned alongside moulds from electro-plated often possess a film-still quality and sense by the chaste goddess Diana into a stag nickel silver flatware, stainless steel and of performance. In her latest series, a after the hapless hunter had inadvertently department store kitchenware. dozen useless actions for grieving blondes seen her bathing naked in a stream; It was while Liu was studying at the 2009, the face, the most concentrated following which, he would be attacked Sydney College of the Arts in 1999–2000 site of human gesture, becomes (for and devoured by his own hounds. that he had the opportunity to work the first time in her work) the terrain of Boyd’s recently acquired 1962 painting, with different mediums such as clay, Laing’s navigation and renegotiation. shown originally at the artist’s Whitechapel glass, wood and bronze, which put him The artist presents the portraits of a retrospective, is a supreme masterpiece of in good stead for works that he was to number of women, each a little larger its genre. Against a background suffused later create. This work was made from than life and each in the grip of some with bituminous sexuality, a white October 2008 to April 2009 in Jingdezhen, untold devastation. The highly dramatic

Rosemary Laing a dozen useless actions for grieving blondes #10, #11, #12 from the series a dozen useless actions for grieving blondes 2009, type C photographs, 77.5 x 133.5 cm. Purchased with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society of NSW, the Ruth Komon Bequest in memory of Rudy Komon and the Photography Collection Benefactors 2009.

collecting Major collection acquisitions 81 between photography and painting and, in common with 20th-century collage, they reposition found images to produce new meanings, in this case a dreamlike and slightly threatening atmosphere where young actors are engaged in a narrative we can only guess at. The image is eerie – we do not know why the young men are dressed like this or what the relationship between them is – and has an uncanny quality that is familiar from half-remembered dreams. The layering and push and pull of the jute and linen give a physicality to Noonan’s work which echoes the layering of costumes in the images. Recalling 1960s and ’70s experimental filmmaking, this body of work suggests a strange new world which has its own dynamic and where teenagers have formed an exclusive society laced with cruelties, tenderness, exclusions and sexually charged energies. Students from Inaburra School, Bangor NSW and Leeanne Carr, the Gallery’s coordinator of 7–12 education programs, discuss David Noonan’s Untitled 3 2008, screenprinted jute and linen collage, Kitagawa Utamaro’s 210 x 300 cm. Contemporary Collection Benefactors 2009. The laughing tippler Due to the success of the Hymn to beauty exhibition, the Gallery was fortunate in nature of these expressions, contained development as well as acquiring works having a number of Japanese works, and condensed under studio lighting, the by Morimura and Daido Moriyama, the particularly prints, donated to the Asian uniformity of the pink background, the addition of Windswept women 2 2009, collection. Through the generosity of the recurring head and shoulder bust format, through the generosity of Geoff and Asian Art Acquisition Fund, the Gallery and the superficial similarities of the Vicki Ainsworth, was most welcome. The acquired a three-volume set of picture ‘blondes’, initially compromises our ability theatricality and politics of Yanagi’s work books titled The laughing tippler c1803 by to perceive the women as individuals. not only sit well with those of Morimura’s, Kitagawa Utamaro. The books, showcased On first glance they, like the background, these are also entirely relevant to aspects in the Utamaro exhibition, were perhaps almost blur into one, suggesting the of the work of Rosemary Laing and Tracey among the last of his erotic books printed stream of formulated images. The Moffatt, for example. in colour. Each volume illustrates sexual acquisition of the three works in this new intimacy involving one of three women: series was important in adding to the David Noonan’s Untitled 3 a virgin woman and her sexual fantasies, small representation of this major and Untitled 3 2008 is a fine example of David a married woman and a courtesan. influential artist’s body of work. Noonan’s recent practice, incorporating the found imagery and layering of Óscar Muñoz’s Biografias Miwa Yanagi’s Windswept textures, materials and graphics for This 2002 work by Colombian artist Óscar women 2 which he has become known. The image Muñoz consists of five videos projected Miwa Yanagi is one of the most interesting grouping in this work is particularly onto white panels on the floor. Each contemporary artists to come out of Japan arresting and it is one of his finest canvas video is a highly recognisable portrait of in the last 15 years. As with the slightly collages from recent years. an individual. The original portraits were older Yasumasa Morimura and the group After establishing a substantial career made by brushing coal dust through a Dumb Type who came to prominence within Australia, Noonan is now one of our silk screen of the image which settled in the 1980s, Yanagi was educated in highest profile artists internationally. He onto the surface of water in a basin. Kyoto where the level of inquiry into ideas, has had solo exhibitions at the Palais de This portrait on water was then filmed material and practice is highly focused. Tokyo in Paris and the Chisenhale Gallery from above. Slowly the viewer becomes Studying fibre at university, she is self- in London and was included in the 2008 aware that the water is emptying from taught as a photographer but has worked Gwangju Biennale and the influential 2009 the basin and, as the water runs out, the through her ideas in a highly sophisticated Tate Triennial, Altermodern. likeness begins to deform and eventually and subtle manner. As the Gallery had Noonan updates appropriation art, disappears down the plug hole. acquired two Yanagi Grandmothers in using images from obscure theatrical and An elegant and provocative work, it tells 2002 and had been watching the artist’s film sources. His works are somewhere the story of people who have disappeared

82 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 in Colombia, a history that is evoked in two other important works in our collection by another Colombian, Doris Salcedo.

Lloyd Rees’s The Summit, Mount Wellington II The outstanding acquisition in the area of prints and drawings this year was Lloyd Rees’s The summit, Mount Wellington II 1973, through the Australian Collection Acquisition Fund. Perhaps the greatest of the artist’s drawings, its brooding power rivals major paintings by Rees – encapsulating the qualities of his exceptional 1930s drawings and the mood and rhythms of his 1940s paintings as well as the bold freedom of his late phase. A centrepiece of the Gallery’s retrospective of Rees’s drawings in 1995, it has been a most desired acquisition for the collection since that time.

John Martin graphics With funds provided by the endowment of the late Mr Tom Parramore, the Gallery was able to purchase from the Sydney dealer Josef Lebovic an important collection of prints by and after the 19th-century English artist John Martin. Comprising 61 mezzotints by Martin himself, together with 19 engravings, mezzotints and lithographs after Martin, and three illustrated bound volumes, the collection had been assembled over a period of 40 years and was one of the Miwa Yanagi Windswept women 2 2009, Laserchrome photograph, 350 x 250 cm most significant holdings of John Martin framed. Gift of Geoff and Vicki Ainsworth 2009. graphics in private hands. This acquisition allows the Gallery to offer a depth and quality of representation of one of the key figures of British Romanticism.

Robert Rauschenberg Next year we are preparing to receive a substantial gift of contemporary art from the John Kaldor family and in anticipation they have given us four works by Robert Rauschenberg. Yellow visor glut 1989, 31100/New born/Indian River/Planters/ Snow 1971, Bologna frost 1975 from the Hoarfrost series and Tampa collage 1974. These significant works by one of the leading avant-garde artists of the 20th- century pave the way for what is to come but also in one move gives the Gallery the best collection of works by Rauschenberg in Australia. Lloyd Rees The summit, Mt Wellington II 1973, pen and black ink, wash, oil pastel, scraping-out, watercolour on ivory laid paper, 46.8 x 62.4 cm. Edward Stinson Bequest Fund 2009 © A&J Rees. Licensed by Viscopy, Australia.

collecting Major collection acquisitions 83 Archives Conservation

Barbara Tribe Archive Conservation also funding the Gallery’s participation Barbara Tribe was a prominent member The temporary loans moratorium enabled in another ARC project initiated by of a group of artists who were influenced conservators to concentrate on the Melbourne University called Twentieth by and worked alongside their teacher preparation of the collection for relocation century in paint. Research at the Rayner Hoff. After graduating from East to the off-site storage facility. In May Gallery is being carried out on Sidney Sydney Technical College in 1933, she 2010, the moratorium was lifted and Nolan’s studio materials. The Gallery assisted him on the Anzac Memorial in preparation for external loans began again is one of several major Australian and Hyde Park and other civic commissions. with 46 prints by Eduardo Palozzi and international institutions involved in In 1935 she won the NSW Travelling 50 prints by RB Kitaj prepared for an this study, along with the University of Scholarship and moved to England, which outward loan. Queensland, National Gallery of Victoria, became her home for the rest of her life. Exhibitions and display have driven Artlab Australia, Queensland Art Gallery, Her archive includes letters, photographs, much of the work in conservation this Tasmanian Art Gallery, Getty Conservation sketchbooks, audio recordings, diaries year. A major cleaning program was Institute in the US, National Art Gallery and correspondence. It not only provides carried out on Rupert Bunny works of Malaysia, Vargas Museum at the a wealth of primary material for those for inclusion in the Gallery’s major University of the Philippines, Silpakorn researching Hoff and the college, but also retrospective. Other collection works University in Thailand and Tate Gallery in in the less-documented area of women prepared included La marée haute a the UK. working in the male-dominated field of Saint-Malô by Ethel Carrick, The Lemnians Several of the Gallery’s conservators sculpture. by William Russell Flint, Boy filling water and curators are also involved in a jars at well by Henry Herbert La Thangue, research project funded by the Women’s Dorothy Braund Archive Richmond Castle, Yorkshire by Phillip Art Group titled The Sydney moderns Melbourne artist Dorothy Braund studied Wilson Steer and Matinée rehearsal by and Australian colour field paintings: keys at the National Gallery of Victoria and the Henry Tonks. Frames were restored for to colour. Thus far Colour keyboard by George Bell School during the 1940s. collection works including Winding the Roy de Maistre has gone under the x-ray She was a fastidious documenter of her skein by Lord Frederic Leighton, New fluorescence gun to identify pigments fellow artists and their times and so her England by Elioth Gruner, Snowdrop used. The artist Sydney Ball has been archive – which includes hundreds of and the seven little men by John Dickson interviewed and an archive of artists’ letters, sketchbooks, diaries, catalogues, Batten, The golden fleece by Tom Roberts materials has been established. press clippings and photographs – is and Granida and Daifalo which is attributed Research also continues into the an invaluable reference source for those to Jan van Noordt, and 77 Indian textiles materials, techniques and conservation interested in the Bell School and Victorian were unpacked and condition-reported in of the works on paper produced during art during those critical years immediately preparation for display. the 1948 American–Australian Scientific after the Second World War. Gallery staff also undertook condition Expedition to Arnhem Land. reporting on all the borrowed works in A major purchase this year, supported the major 2009–10 exhibitions, including by the Friends of Conservation and the the touring shows Tim Johnson: painting Art Gallery of NSW Foundation, was ideas and Rupert Bunny: artist in Paris in the replacement of the radiography Melbourne and Adelaide. equipment, which uses messy chemical Restoration of William Strutt’s 1868 work development, with a computerised David’s first victory is being sponsored radiography system that digitises the by Hyperion Asset Management. The image. painting is being cleaned and a new frame is being prepared. The three-year involvement of the Gallery in the Laser Heritage Conservation linkage research project at Australian National University in Canberra has reached the end of the first stage. The Gallery was one of several industry partners in an Australian Research Council (ARC) grant given to the university, who are looking at using fast (femo-second) lasers for cleaning artefacts. The Friends of Conservation funded the Gallery’s involvement and planning is underway for Conservation work is carried out on Rupert possible continuation of this project. Bunny’s Summer time c1907, oil on canvas, 250 The Friends of Conservation are x 300.5 cm. Purchased 1928.

84 ART GALLERY OF NSW annual report 09–10 Principal sponsors

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