Bendigo Art Gallery is an Australian art gallery located in Bendigo, Victoria. It is one of the oldest and largest regional art galleries.

Bendigo Art Gallery
Bendigo Art Gallery, Bolton Court seen from View Street
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Established1887
Location42 View Street, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
TypeArt gallery
Websitehttp://www.bendigoartgallery.com.au/Home

History

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The gallery was founded in 1887.[1]

The gallery's collection was first housed in the former Bendigo Volunteer Rifle's room, converted into an exhibition space by Bendigo architect William Charles Vahland (1828–1915) in 1890 and renamed Bolton Court. In 1897 it was extended with Drury Court, designed by local architect William Beebe. In 1962 the gallery was again extended with office space and additional exhibition spaces, as well as a new entrance.[2]

From 1998 to 2001 the gallery was refurbished and expanded with a new sculpture gallery designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects.[3]

Description

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Bendigo Art Gallery is one of Australia’s oldest and largest regional art galleries.

Collection

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The gallery's collection has a strong emphasis on British and European Continental 19th-century painting, with works by Ernest Waterlow and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes among others. Australian work from the 19th century onwards is also well represented, including Charles Conder and Arthur Streeton.

Prizes

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The Robert Jacks Drawing Prize is a former prize awarded by the gallery, named for Australian artist Robert Jacks.[citation needed]

As of 2024, the gallery offers two biennial art prizes:[4]

Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize

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The gallery hosts Australia's richest open painting prize, the Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize worth A$50,000, which was launched in 2003.[3] It was then Australia's richest open painting prize, worth A$50,000.[5] It was initiated by Allen Guy CBE in honour of his elder and only brother Arthur Guy (24 November 1914 – 14 February 1945), who died in World War II near Lae, Papua New Guinea, while serving with the RAAF. Arthur was educated at Camp Hill State School in Bendigo, and then at Ballarat Grammar School.[6]

Prizewinners include:

Paul Guest Prize

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The Paul Guest Prize is a non-acquisitive biennial art prize and exhibition focused on contemporary Australian drawing practice. It was founded by former Family Court judge and Olympic rower, Paul Guest OAM QC in 2010. It comprises a cash award of A$15,000.[10]

Winners include:[10]

People

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Karen Quinlan was director of Bendigo Art Gallery from around 2000 to 2018, and curator for three years before that.[11] She was also Professor of Practice at the La Trobe Art Institute at Bendigo. She took up the post of leading the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra in December 2018.[12][13] During her tenure at Bendigo, Quinlan worked with international institutions to bring large exhibitions to Bendigo, which boosted the regional economy and encouraged cultural tourism.[14] She was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2019 Australia Day Honours list, "for her significant service to the visual arts and to higher education".[11]

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The gallery's logo is an image of Ettore Cadorin's statue Venus tying her sandals (1913).[15] Cadorin was an Italian-born American, but was married to an Australian contralto, Erna Mueller, who trained at the Bendigo Conservatory.[16] He sold the statue to the gallery after visiting it in 1913.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Bendigo Art Gallery turns 120". ABC Online. ABC Central Victoria - Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  2. ^ "Bendigo Art Gallery: "History of Bendigo Art Gallery", retrieved 18 November 2012". Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  3. ^ a b Quinlan, Karen (2004). Bendigo Art Gallery Selected Works, Bendigo Art Gallery. ISBN 0-949215-27-9.
  4. ^ "Prizes and Scholarships". Bendigo Art Gallery. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Large, layered and now it's worth $50,000". The Age. 9 November 2003. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize". Bendigo Art Gallery. 19 September 2012. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize". Bendigo Art Gallery. 24 November 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  8. ^ Angelatos, Veronica (28 August 2019). "When asked how he acquired his fine collection of french empire clocks…, 2005". Deutscher and Hackett. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  9. ^ "2023 Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize Winner". Bendigo Art Gallery. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Paul Guest Prize". Bendigo Art Gallery. 1 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Karen Quinlan made a Member of the Order of Australia". Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV). 29 January 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Ms Karen Quinlan appointed to lead the NPGA: 25 September 2018". National Portrait Gallery. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Karen Quinlan AM". National Portrait Gallery people. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  14. ^ "Karen Quinlan AM announced as new CEO of Arts Centre Melbourne". Australian Arts Review. 3 August 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  15. ^ a b The Age, 19–20 December 2003, Review, "Work of the Week", p. 7.
  16. ^ NSW Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 May 2016
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36°45′27″S 144°16′37″E / 36.757513°S 144.276967°E / -36.757513; 144.276967