A unique collection of artwork contributed by artists closely connected to the John Curtin Gallery, helped the Gallery achieve sales of over $50,000 in one night.
In an address to patrons at the John Curtin Gallery’s GET smART auction last Friday night, Vice-Chancellor Jeanette Hacket said the exhibition and auction was a milestone event in the Gallery’s 12-year history.
‘Many of the artworks being auctioned this evening are by Curtin graduates and staff and it must be acknowledged that some of the most significant contemporary artists of Australia’s current generation are in fact Curtin graduates,’ she said.
‘Many of these artists have had access to the John Curtin Gallery as a resource for teaching, learning or research. It has also provided them with the wonderful opportunity to showcase their work in a world-class exhibition space.’
The 64 artists who participated in the exhibition and auction have an established a relationship with the Gallery. Proceeds from the auction will be used to support future development of the Gallery’s Exhibition and Acquisition Programs.
Director of the John Curtin Gallery, Chris Malcolm, said the exhibition and auction was a success on two levels.
‘The success was twofold in that we had a wonderful exhibition that celebrated the relationship between the Gallery and artists, plus an excellent result on the auction night.’
‘It exceeded expectations with over $50,000 in sales on Friday night … and that was on a night that saw four other exhibition openings in Perth.’
‘We hope to have a similar exhibition and auction once every two years,’ he said.
The auctioneer on the night was Andrew Gaynor, a well known Australian art specialist since the late 1980s. Andrew has been a fund-raising auctioneer for nearly two decades for such groups as the Deafness Foundation, the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, IKEA, Artists for Kids Culture Trust and Deckchair Theatre.
