Art Gallery of Western Australia facts for kids
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| Established | 1895 |
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| Location | Perth Cultural Centre, Perth, Western Australia |
| Type | Art gallery |
| Collection size | 18,000 |
| Visitors | 148,301 (2021) |
| Owner | Government of Western Australia |
| Public transit access | Perth railway station, Transperth |
| Official name | Art Gallery & Museum Buildings |
| Type | State Registered |
| Designated | 28 August 2001 |
| Part of | Perth Cultural Centre |
| Reference no. | 1962 |
The Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) is a public art gallery located in Perth, Western Australia. It is part of the Perth Cultural Centre, a special area in the city. AGWA is close to the Western Australian Museum and the State Library of Western Australia. The government of Western Australia supports and manages the gallery. The main building we see today opened in 1979. It is connected to an older building called The Centenary Galleries, which used to be a court house.
Contents
History of the Art Gallery
Early Beginnings and Royal Connections
The Art Gallery first shared a building called the Jubilee Building with the State Museum and Library. This building was meant to be a public library. It was planned to open in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria's 50 years as queen, her Golden Jubilee. However, only the first foundation stone was laid that year.
The foundation stone for the Art Gallery itself was laid in July 1901. This was done by the Duke of Cornwall and York, who later became King George V. This happened shortly after Australia became a federation of states.
Many important people helped develop the Jubilee Building and the Art Gallery. These included John Winthrop Hackett and James Battye. Sir James Dromgole Linton also suggested artworks for the State Art Collection.
Growth During Mining Booms
The Art Gallery's Administration Building is in a place that used to be the Police Quarters. This building was designed by Hillson Beasley, who also designed Government House. It was built during a time when Western Australia had a big economic boom. This boom was caused by the gold rush in Kalgoorlie in the 1890s. The Administration Building moved into the Police Quarters in the 1970s. This was during another mining boom, this time for nickel.
The main gallery building was constructed in 1977. This building project was also boosted by the mining boom. Western Australia was starting to value cultural places more. The government was also inspired by the upcoming 150th anniversary of Australia's federation in 1979. The Alexander Library also began construction around the same time.
Building Design and New Ideas
The main gallery building was designed by Charles Sierakowski. He worked with engineer Philip Nadebaum and the company Summerhayes and Associates. The building was designed in the Bauhaus style. It has a Brutalist outside, which was a popular design in Europe. The way the building's slabs and columns were put together was a new and clever idea for Western Australia back then.
In 2017, AGWA announced plans to improve its rooftop. This project was called "AGWA Elevate." The idea was to create a space for sculptures, events, restaurants, and films. It was planned to open before the gallery's anniversary in 2020. The state government promised $10 million for this project.
In the same year, a big project called "Six Seasons" began. This project aimed to focus more on AGWA's Indigenous Australian art. A new permanent gallery for Indigenous art was opened. A special exhibition called "Plain Speak" was also shown for the Perth International Arts Festival.
Collections and Exhibitions
Artworks and Themes
The Art Gallery's collection was partly inspired by the Aesthetic Movement. This was a style of art that focused on beauty.
AGWA has many ongoing exhibitions. These include traditional and modern Indigenous art from the Northern Territory and Western Australia. There is also Western Australian art from the 1820s to the 1960s. The gallery also shows special displays about important themes from its collection.
Desert River Sea: Kimberley Art Then and Now is a major project that started around 2013. It explores Indigenous Australian art from the Kimberley region. This project received funding from Rio Tinto. In 2019, an exhibition called Desert River Sea: Portraits of the Kimberley was shown. This was the result of a six-year project. It involved AGWA working with Aboriginal artists and six art centres in the Kimberley. There is even a separate website for this project.
Each year, AGWA shows artworks by talented high school students. This exhibition is called Year 12 Perspectives. In 2018, 55 artworks were displayed.
Art Awards
The Lester Prize
The Lester Prize is one of Australia's most valuable portraiture awards. It used to be called the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture. About 40 final artworks are shown at AGWA every year in October and November.
Tina Wilson started the Black Swan Prize in 2007. She also created ARTrinsic Inc to manage the award. In 2014, the prize included a section for artworks about Perth's heritage. In 2016, the award moved to AGWA.
In April 2019, the prize was renamed The Lester Prize. This was to honour Richard (Dick) Lester, a main supporter of the award. As of 2022, the main prize is worth A$50,000. Other awards include the Minderoo Foundation Spirit Prize and the Tony Fini Foundation Artist Prize. The total prize money is A$105,000. In 2022, 720 artists from all over Australia entered the competition.
Tom Malone Prize
The Tom Malone Prize (TMP) is also known as the Tom Malone Glass Art Prize. It was started in 2003 by Elizabeth Malone. From 2018, Sheryl Grimwood supported the prize. This award buys the winning artwork for the gallery's collection.
In 2022, the prize was worth A$15,000 and celebrated its 20th year. In 2023, the prize increased to A$15,000. The artworks chosen for the prize are shown at a new place called Linton and Kay Galleries in West Perth. This prize is given for modern glass art.
Gallery
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John Longstaff, Breaking the News, 1887
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Frederick McCubbin, Down on His Luck, 1889
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Hans Heysen, Droving into the Light, 1921
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George Pitt Morison, The Foundation of Perth 1829, 1929
Images for kids
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Targets by Christopher Pease, a 34-metre artwork on the roof of the Art Gallery.
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A room in the Art Gallery of Western Australia's Centenary Gallery. It used to be a courtroom.
See Also
- Perth Cultural Centre
- Western Australian Museum
- State Library of Western Australia
