Gippsland Art Gallery facts for kids
External front façade of the Port of Sale building
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| Established | 1965 |
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| Location | 70 Foster Street, Sale, Victoria |
| Type | Art gallery |
The Gippsland Art Gallery is an exciting art museum located in Sale, Victoria, Australia. It's about 220 kilometers (137 miles) east of Melbourne. This gallery used to be called the Sale Regional Art Centre. It is managed by the Shire of Wellington, which is like the local government. The gallery often features art that focuses on nature and works by artists from the Gippsland region.
Contents
The Gallery's Story
The Gippsland Art Gallery first opened its doors on 25 September 1965. Back then, it was known as the Sale Regional Art Centre. Rupert Hamer, who later became a leader in Victoria, officially opened it. The gallery was built above the Sale Library on Macalister Street. The Victorian state government gave £20,000 for its construction. The Sale City Council also helped by adding another £10,000.
The gallery quickly became a popular place. It offered many temporary art shows and educational materials. It was a great resource for schools, art groups, and the public. People from all over Central and East Gippsland used it.
Moving to New Homes
In 1989, the gallery had to move. Some old building material called blue asbestos was found in the ceiling. This material can be harmful, so the gallery needed a new home. It moved to a few temporary spots before settling at 288 Raymond Street for a while.
In 1995, the gallery moved again to its current location at 70 Foster Street. At this time, it also changed its name to the Gippsland Art Gallery.
Modern Makeover
Between 2015 and 2017, the gallery building got a big upgrade. This makeover improved the facilities and made more space for art shows. A company called FJMT Architects designed the new look. The newly improved gallery opened to the public on 6 January 2018.
In 2018, the gallery received a very special gift. The ExxonMobil Australia Collection of Australian Art was donated. This collection includes many important artworks from the 20th century. In 2020, the Gippsland Art Gallery Foundation was started. This fund helps the gallery buy new artworks and support future projects.
Cool Past Exhibitions
The gallery has hosted many important art shows over the years. Here are a few examples:
- From Frederick McCubbin to Charles McCubbin (2008): This show looked at the art of the McCubbin family.
- Lost Highways (2009): This was the first big show for Melbourne artist Tony Lloyd.
- Disappearers (2009): This exhibition explored how artists show missing people in photos.
The gallery has also shown works by famous artists like William Delafield Cook, Robbie Rowlands, and Bill Henson. In 2011, it presented the first full show of art by Nicholas Chevalier. He was a Russian-born Swiss artist. This show later traveled to the Geelong Art Gallery. In 2021, the gallery was proud to host the famous Archibald Prize for portraits.
How the Gallery Works
The Shire of Wellington manages the Gippsland Art Gallery. Since 2018, the director has been Simon Gregg. The gallery is located at the Port of Sale, 70 Foster Street, Sale.
The gallery displays all kinds of art. This includes different styles, materials, and time periods. However, it especially focuses on art about the natural world. It also highlights artists who live in the Gippsland area.
The gallery has six different exhibition areas. These spaces cover over 800 square meters (about 8,600 square feet). One special area is dedicated to Annemieke Mein. She is a textile artist from Sale. The displays in her dedicated space change twice a year.
What's in the Permanent Collection?
The Gippsland Art Gallery has a permanent collection of over 3,000 items. This collection includes paintings, drawings, ceramics, sculptures, textiles, woodwork, and metalwork. The collection mostly focuses on the natural environment. It also features art by Gippsland artists and art about Gippsland themes.
Some of the artists whose works are in the collection include Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Fred Williams, Peter Booth, Tony Lloyd, Polixeni Papapetrou, Annemieke Mein, and Bill Henson. The gallery is also home to the Esso Australia Collection of Australian Art. This is a very important collection of artworks from the 20th century.
The John Leslie Art Prize
The gallery hosts a special art competition called the John Leslie Art Prize. This prize happens every two years, in even-numbered years. It is awarded for landscape painting. A landscape painting is a picture of natural scenery.
The award is named after John Leslie OBE (1919—2016). He was a former supporter and patron of the gallery. As of 2022, the main prize is $20,000. The winner gets to have their artwork added to the gallery's collection. There is also a $1,000 prize for the "Best Gippsland Work." This prize is not for the gallery to keep the artwork.
Past Winners of the Prize
Some of the artists who have won the John Leslie Art Prize include:
- David Keeling (2000)
- Vera Möller (2002)
- Tony Lloyd (2012)
- Shannon Smiley (2014)
- Vanessa Kelly (2018)
- Sarah Tomasetti (2020)
- Greg Wood (2022)
