Newcastle Art Gallery

Newcastle Art Gallery has a significant collection of Australian and Japanese ceramics. This collection encompasses the leading ceramists; Les Blakebrough, Louise Boscacci, Penny Byrne, Pippin Drysdale, Marea Gazzard, Victor Greenaway, Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, Col Levy, Jenny Orchard, Peter Rushforth and Bernard Sahm.[4]

The Japanese collection encompasses both Mingei 'folk art' and Sodeisha 'crawling through mud association' - avant garde non-functional ware. This collection encompasses the leading Japanese ceramists; Shôji Hamada, Takeichi Kawai, Kanjirô Kawai and Kentichi Tomimoto.[4]

Three-dimensional art work in the collection encompass a diverse range of materials including marble, steel, spinifex grass, wood, ceramic, glass, feathers, engines and many other source materials. Artists represented by sculptures in the collection include Karl Duldig, Robert Klippel, Clement Meadmore, Margel Hinder, Akio Makigawa, Kathleen Shillam, Hossein Valamanesh, Rosalie Gascoigne, Fiona Hall and Patricia Piccinini.[5]

Iconic Australian artist Brett Whiteley is represented by several art works including the large scale Black Totem II which is located near the entrance of the gallery.[6]

Newcastle Art Gallery holds a significant collection of prints and drawings. Notable drawings from George Lambert, Godfrey Miller, Rah Fizelle and John Passmore are represented in the collection. The print collection includes colonial era material such as Richard Browne engravings and work by S. T. Gill, Eugène von Guérard, Walter Preston and Joseph Lycett. The collection includes complete suites, series and folios by artists such as, Arthur Boyd, John Coburn, Imants Tillers, Jesse Traill, George Baldessin, Bea Maddock, Mike Parr, Margaret Preston, Thea Procter, Jan Senbergs and Salvatore Zofrea.[7]

Photography is represented by some of Australia's leading contemporary artists including Jane Burton, Destiny Deacon, Fiona Hall, Bill Henson, Rosemary Laing, Julie Rrap, Darren Siwes and Robyn Stacey.[8]

Newcastle, 1925 by George Lambert. Newcastle Art Gallery collection.

Newcastle Art Gallery holds one of the most significant collection of paintings in Australia. This collection spans colonial work by Joseph Lycett, Australian Impressionists such as, Arthur Streeton, Hans Heysen, Elioth Grüner, Sydney Long and Lloyd Rees through to the leading twentieth-century modernists such as, Newcastle-born William Dobell and other modernists Grace Cossington Smith, Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Robert Dickerson, Charles Blackman. Newcastle born artists Jon Molvig and John Olsen are represented.[9]

An area of growth within the collection is new media and video art. Shaun Gladwell and TV Moore and Tracey Moffatt are represented in this collection.[10]

While the Newcastle Art Galley's collection is focused primarily on Australian art, the collection has some significant work from international artists. Renowned American minimalist Carl Andre gifted Steel ${\displaystyle \Sigma }$ 16 (pronounced steel sum 16) to the gallery in 2011. Made from 136 hot-rolled steel plates, each 30cm x 30cm x 1cm, this work is important to the collection because of its connection to the city of Newcastle. Andre made the work while in Newcastle in 1978 at the now close BHP.[11]

Photograph of painter William Dobell, 1942 by Max Dupain (1911–1992). Dobell was born in Newcastle and is represented in the Newcastle Art Gallery Collection.

Arthur Boyd, David Boyd, Rupert Bunny, Judy Cassab, Grace Cossington Smith, John Coburn, William Dobell, Karl Duldig, Donald Friend, Bill Henson, Joy Hester, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Tracey Moffatt, Margaret Olley, John Olsen, Patricia Piccinini, Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, Margaret Preston, Lloyd Rees, Brian Robinson, Alex Seton, Ken Thaiday Snr, Brett Whiteley, Michael Zavros. [12]

Newcastle Art Gallery is supported by the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation which is not for profit charity. Since 1978 the foundation has helped to raise millions of dollars for the gallery, particularly for the acquisition of art work.[17]