AGWA has announced Re/Collections: a suite of exhibitions reimagined to celebrate works in the WA State Art Collection.
As Western Australia’s greatest visual art asset, the prized Collection aims to empower visitors to understand the world — old, new, unknown — creatively.
Re/Collections is an extension of this objective. Expertly curated, the exhibitions have been woven together to create a rich tapestry of cultures, states, moments, and ideas, both here at home and farther afield.
Far from the conventional chronological displays of the past, Re/Collections allows audiences to consider, reconsider and consider again.
Re/Collections proves AGWA is committed to displaying the much-loved works from the Collection in engaging and progressive ways. The world around us is always moving — why shouldn’t our art move with it?
“AGWA’s WA State Art Collection is the most significant public art collection in WA. It’s also one of the most popular — our loyal audiences aren’t shy in telling us they want to see more of the fantastic works stored in the Collection,” AGWA Director Colin Walker said.
“The State Art Collection is the heart of AGWA, and Re/Collections will allow visitors to explore it in a fresh, exciting way that hasn’t been done before.”
AGWA acquired its first work of art in 1895. Today, the AGWA Collection contains more than 18,500 works, valued at over $361 million making it the largest public art collection in WA and one of the largest in Australia.
One of the Collection’s core strengths is its holdings of works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and its representation of Western Australian art and artists. Twentieth-century Australian and British paintings and sculpture are also a key asset.
Each year, the Collection grows by 150-400 works, largely through the generous support of AGWA’s Foundation Members and private donations.
Like many art museums worldwide, AGWA only displays a fraction of Gallery holdings at any time. As such, some of the WA State Art Collection can be viewed online. The Smithsonian, the Vatican Library, and the MET in New York are just some of the institutions digitising their collections.
“Thanks to the generous support of an anonymous donor kickstarting the project, we have recently undertaken the ambitious task of digitising the entire State Art Collection. This is an exciting initiative in AGWA’s evolution. The ongoing digitisation upgrade will allow AGWA’s prized works to be added regularly,” Colin Walker said.
“Our aim is to make it accessible to all — Western Australians in regional and remote areas, students, families, researchers, and visitors around the world — from our Gallery to phones, homes or classrooms, and everywhere in between.”
Visit The Art Gallery of Western Australia as it presents the Collection in a dynamic way through Re/Collections.
Source: Media release. Image: John (Cecil) Brack British Modern 1969. Oil on canvas, 96.5 x 129.5 cm. The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia. Purchased 1984. (Image cropped).
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