NGA acquires significant Australian Surrealist collection through generous act of benefaction

Ron Radford AM, Director of the National Gallery of Australia, is excited to announce the acquisition of the most important Australian Surrealist collection assembled. The collection of works of art from the late James Agapitos OAM and Ray Wilson OAM is a most generous act of benefaction. This extensive acquisition of 285 works comes in two components: a generous gift and a purchase by the Gallery. The combined value of the collection is $6.6 million. The purchase amount is $2.5 million. The collection is the largest Australian Surrealist collection ever assembled.

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National Gallery of Australia unveils major painting by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri - Warlugulong 1977

Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri’s major painting Warlugulong 1977, recently acquired for $2.4 million as part of the National Gallery of Australia’s 25th Anniversary Gifts program.

Warlugulong 1977 one of his seminal works is regarded as one of the most important Australian paintings of the 20th century and certainly one of the greatest Western Desert paintings.

Acquisition of Warlugulong 1977 is in celebration of the National Gallery of Australia’s 25th Anniversary. The purchase has been made possible by the generous assistance of Roslynne Bracher and the Paspaley Family, David Coe and Michelle Coe, Charles Curran and Eva Curran.

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Best selling Australian novelist Robert Dessaix explores the idea of love and Lambert at the National Gallery of Australia

6pm Saturday 15 September

Robert Dessaix, former presenter of ABC Radio National’s literary program, Books and Writing and best selling author, will present a public lecture at 6 pm Saturday September 15 at the National Gallery of Australia.

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Ms Roslyn Packer AO generously assists 25th Anniversary acquisition of 2nd century Seated Buddha

Ron Radford AM, Director of the National Gallery of Australia, announced the acquisition of an important stone 2nd century Seated Buddha. The acquisition of Seated Buddha is in celebration of the National Gallery of Australia’s 25th Anniversary and has been made possible though the generous assistance of Ms Roslyn Packer AO.

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National Gallery of Australia acquires major work by Giorgio de Chirico

Director of the National Gallery of Australia, Mr Ron Radford AM, unveils an exquisite new painting acquisition by the important European Modernist artist Giorgio de Chirico (1888-1979). The painting La Mort d’un esprit [Death of a spirit] dated 1916 is one of the last early de Chirico works of art held within a private collection.

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Ocean to Outback: Australian Landscape Painting 1850–1950

To mark the 25th anniversary of the National Gallery of Australia, an exhibition of treasured works from the National Collection. Ocean to Outback: Australian Landscape Painting 1850–1950 has been curated by National Gallery Director, Ron Radford AM and celebrates the rich history of landscape painting in Australia.

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An evening with Bruce Beresford

TheNational Gallery of Australia presents a three-day film festival highlighting renowned Australian film director Bruce Beresford. The Oscar-nominated director will share his experiences of filmmaking across the weekend, as part of the celebrity lecture series supporting the highly regarded exhibition George W Lambert retrospective: heroes and icons.

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National Gallery of Australia acquires major painting by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri

Ron Radford AM, Director of the National Gallery of Australia, announced today that the Gallery was successful at last night’s Sotheby’s sale in securing Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri’s major painting Warlugulong 1977.

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National Gallery of Australia to open gallery dedicated to the Pacific arts

The National Gallery of Australia will confirm its commitment to the art of the Pacific region by launching the Pacific Arts Gallery on Wednesday 18 July 2007. The Pacific Arts Gallery, a dedicated permanent display, will open to the public showing forty works, including some of the rarest and finest traditional arts from the cultures of our nearest island neighbours.

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George W Lambert retrospective: heroes and icons

The first major exhibition for over seventy years of one of Australia's most significant artists, George W Lambert (1873-1930), opens at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, on Friday 29 June 2007. 

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National Gallery of Australia announces major sponsorship of new National Indigenous Art Triennial

A major new arts partnership between the National Gallery of Australia and BHP Billiton will see the first National Indigenous Art Triennial exhibition open at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra on 12 October 2007 — the National Gallery's 25th Anniversary. Details of this exciting new arts initiative were announced today by Mr Rupert Myer AM, Chairman of the National Gallery of Australia Council and Mr Chris Lynch, Executive Director and Group President, Carbon Steel Materials, BHP Billiton.

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VIP: very important photographs 1840s–1940s

The red carpet rolls out for an esteemed collection of photographs in VIP: very important photographs 1840s–1940s which opens at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, on Saturday 26 May 2007.

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A New National Sculpture Gallery

The only exhibition space dedicated entirely to sculpture within an Australian art institution is set to open in late May 2007, following the announcement of a new arts partnership between the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) and National Australia Bank (NAB). This initiative is part of the National Gallery of Australia's 25th Birthday celebrations.

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Release of Independent Investigation of a Reported Cluster of Cancer Cases at the National Gallery of Australia

The National Gallery of Australia has welcomed the draft findings of an independent investigation into a reported cluster of cancer cases. Details of the first stage of the investigation, which considered past and present exposure to carcinogens at the Gallery, were made available to a meeting of all staff today.

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The story of Australian printmaking 1801–2005

The story of Australian printmaking 1801–2005 opens on Friday 30 March 2007 at the National Gallery of Australia. This significant exhibition features over 500 works of art selected from the National Gallery’s collection of Australian Prints, Posters and Illustrated Books.

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Success of Egyptian Antiquities from the Louvre

The exhibition Egyptian Antiquities from the Louvre: journey to the afterlife closed at the National Gallery of Australia on Sunday 25 February 2007. This stunning exhibition was attended by 152,025 people.

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Sculpture Garden Sunday

By the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, the National Gallery of Australia’s Sculpture Garden comes alive this weekend with a program of free drop-in creative art workshops for children. Sculpture Garden Sunday encourages visitors to look at, think about and make art, with workshops held for various age groups, particularly children aged 12 years and under.

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Birth of the Modern Poster

Drawn exclusively from the National Gallery’s Collection of International Posters, Birth of the Modern Poster examines the evolution of poster art from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. The exhibition opens at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra on Saturday 10 February 2007.

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Summer Scholars Announced

The National Gallery of Australia and Sony Foundation Australia are very pleased to announce the selection of the 2007 Summer Scholarship students.

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Grace Crowley: being modern

Grace Crowley: being modern is an important retrospective exhibition of paintings and drawings by one of Australia’s most influential modern artists. The exhibition opens at the National Gallery of Australia on Saturday 23 December.

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Creeping through the jungle

Creeping through the jungle takes visitors on a journey of exploration through the tropical rainforests of Australia, the Pacific, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America. The exhibition opens in the Children’s Gallery at the National Gallery of Australia on Saturday 9 December 2006.

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Egyptian antiquities from the Louvre: journey to the afterlife

Follow the soul on its journey from earthly life to eternity in this summer’s major exhibition Egyptian antiquities from the Louvre: journey to the afterlife, on display from 17 November 2006 to 25 February 2007 at the National Gallery of Australia.

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