NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA
FIRST PERMANENT GALLERIES FOR INDIGENOUS ART

28th October 2002

The National Gallery of Victoria has opened a suite of gallery spaces dedicated to Indigenous art for the first time in the institution's 140-year history.

The four large gallery spaces are on the ground floor of The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at the newly opened Federation Square on Spencer Street, Melbourne. The new galleries were opened by the Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks, and they will allow the National Gallery of Victoria to demonstrate the breadth and depth of its Indigenous holdings, totalling around 2,200 Indigenous works, representing around 10 per cent of its Australian collection. The NGV purchased its first Indigenous work in 1946 however it wasn't until 1984 that the Gallery allocated dedicated funds to develop the Indigenous collection.

NGV Director, Gerard Vaughan, said around 150 works would appear in the first exhibition.

"Until now, many of our Indigenous works could not be seen and appreciated by the public due to lack of display space.

"Beautiful works such as the Pukumani poles can now proudly be displayed due to a purpose-built floor which allows them to stand independently. The magnificent Big Yam Dreaming by Emily Kam Kngwarray, will also be displayed for the first time as the centerpiece on one large gallery of Indigenous works."

Dr Vaughan said the oldest work on display would be a sketch from the 1880's by artist Tommy McRae, while the newest work, completed this year, would be three major works by Papunya Tula artists Naata Nungurrayi, Makinti Napanagka and George Tjungurray.

The National Gallery of Victoria will continue to display Indigenous works in its other galleries alongside non-Indigenous works; however, the ability to display a number of works in four dedicated gallery spaces will provide an important reference for visitors and an opportunity to understand this school of contemporary art.

Dr Vaughan said the new gallery space will...
"... also be a major drawcard for overseas visitors who are keen to obtain an understanding of Australian Indigenous culture."

Over the next month, the National Gallery of Victoria will also be undertaking an Art Relay covering 2,700kms around Victoria, stopping at 20 locations to celebrate the Gallery's opening.

NGV International, on St Kilda Road, will re-open in October 2003, after extensive redevelopment.