Bendigo Art Gallery facts for kids
Bendigo Art Gallery, Bolton Court seen from View Street
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| Established | 1887 |
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| Location | 42 View Street, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia |
| Type | Art gallery |
The Bendigo Art Gallery is a famous art gallery in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. It is one of the oldest and largest art galleries outside of a major city in Australia. It's a great place to see amazing artworks from different times and places.
Contents
A Look at the Gallery's History
The Bendigo Art Gallery first opened its doors in 1887. It started in a building that used to be a rifle room. An architect named William Charles Vahland helped turn it into an art space in 1890. This part was called Bolton Court.
Later, in 1897, another section called Drury Court was added. The gallery continued to grow over the years. In 1962, it got more office space and new areas to show art. From 1998 to 2001, the gallery was made even bigger and better. A new sculpture gallery was built, designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects. This made it a modern and exciting place for art.
What You Can See: The Art Collection
The gallery has a wonderful collection of art. Many of the paintings are from the 1800s, from places like Britain and Europe. You can see works by artists such as Ernest Waterlow and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes.
The gallery also has a strong collection of Australian art. This includes pieces from the 1800s right up to today. Famous Australian artists like Charles Conder and Arthur Streeton have their work displayed here. It's a great way to explore art from different cultures and times.
Exciting Art Prizes
The Bendigo Art Gallery is known for hosting two important art prizes. These prizes encourage artists and help them share their amazing work.
Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize
This is one of Australia's most valuable painting prizes. It started in 2003 and gives the winning artist A$50,000. The prize was created by Allen Guy to honor his brother, Arthur Guy. Arthur was a brave soldier who sadly passed away during World War II. He grew up in Bendigo.
Here are some of the artists who have won this prize:
- 2003: Stieg Persson
- 2005: Dale Frank
- 2007: Stephen Bush
- 2009: Jan Nelson
- 2011: Tim Johnson
- 2013: Chris Bond
- 2015: Guan Wei
- 2017: Margaret Loy Pula
- 2019: Jahnne Pasco-White
- 2021: Kirsty Budge
- 2023: Tuppy Ngintja Goodwin
Paul Guest Prize
The Paul Guest Prize is another special art award. It focuses on modern Australian drawing. This prize was started in 2010 by Paul Guest. He was a judge and also an Olympic rower! The winner receives A$15,000.
Here are some of the artists who have won this prize:
- 2010: Belinda Fox
- 2012: Tom Nicholson
- 2014: Heather B. Swann
- 2016: Peter Grziwotz
- 2018: Laith McGrego
- 2020: Richard Lewer
- 2022: James Clayden
Important People at the Gallery
One important person who led the Bendigo Art Gallery was Karen Quinlan. She was the director from about 2000 to 2018. Before that, she was a curator, helping to choose and arrange the art.
During her time, Karen brought many big international art shows to Bendigo. These shows helped the local economy and encouraged people to visit the city. Her hard work was recognized when she received an award for her great service to the arts. She later became the head of the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
The Gallery's Logo
The logo for the Bendigo Art Gallery features a statue called Venus tying her sandals. This beautiful statue was made in 1913 by an artist named Ettore Cadorin. He was from Italy but lived in America. His wife, Erna Mueller, was an Australian singer who studied music in Bendigo. Ettore sold the statue to the gallery after he visited it in 1913.
See also
In Spanish: Galería de arte Bendigo para niños
