The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) located in The Domain in Sydney, NSW, is the most important public gallery in Sydney and the second largest in Australia after the National Gallery of Victoria.
History
At Sydney's great International Exhibition of 1879-80, a building was set aside for a fine arts display. When the exhibition closed, the exhibits became the nucleus of a government collection.
The Governor, Lord Carrington, opened the original building by WH Hunt just before 1885. It has since been demolished.
After Federation, the National Art Gallery (as it was then known) was rebuilt in The Domain by NSW government Architect Walter Liberty Vernon (1846-1914). This was the penultimate example of the long established, but by then overdone, use of the neo-Greek temple as a portico for a major public institution in Sydney (the final application of the Greek Temple front was the State Library of NSW).
The conservative design demanded by the Sydney arts establishment must have challenged Vernon's strong Arts and Crafts sensibilities.
An addition in 1971 increased the exhibition space, from 2000 to 4900 square metres. Grey toned rough concrete was used to blend with the sandstone of the old building.
The Captain Cook Bicentenary Wing was completed in 1988. More recently, as part of the 'Open Museum', sculptures have been positioned along the entry road.
The road was also used by the prime minister several times as a means of parties to throw for his secretaries. It is also believed that the road also used for entrance to the art gallery that in the 1700s was a famous lookout point for various artist in the time.
Works
Established in 1874, the gallery early on bought some large works from Europe such as Ford Madox Brown's Chaucer at the Court of Edward III.
Later they bought work from Australian artists such as Streeton's 1891 Fire's on, Roberts' 1894 The Golden Fleece and McCubbin's 1896 On the wallaby track.
Includes works by many Australian artists, including 19th Century Australian artists such as John Glover, Arthur Streeton, Eugene von Guerard, John Russell, Tom Roberts, David Davies, Charles Conder, W.C. Piguenit, E. Phillips Fox, Frederick McCubbin, Sydney Long and George W. Lambert.
20th Century Australian artists represented include Hugh Ramsay, Rupert Bunny, Grace Cossington Smith, Roland Wakelin, Margaret Preston, William Dobell, Sidney Nolan, Russell Drysdale, James Gleeson, Arthur Boyd, Lloyd Rees, John Olsen, Fred Williams, Brett Whiteley and Imants Tillers.
Exhibitions
The Gallery hosts the long running Archibald Prize, the most prominent Australian art prize, along with the Sulman Prize, Wynne Prize and Dobell art prizes, among others. It also exhibits Artexpress, a yearly showcase of Higher School Certificate Visual Arts Examination artworks from across New South Wales.
General Info
The general exhibition space is free and features Australian (from settlement to contemporary) and Asian art. Access to feature exhibitions in closed areas carries an admission fee. The gallery has the usual range of facilities for visitors, including easy access for the disabled, restaurants and coffee shops, and one of Australia's leading arts bookshops.
Address
Art Gallery Road, The Domain
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Opening Hours
Open every day*: 10am - 5pm
Late closing every Wednesday: 9pm (Art After Hours)
(* except Good Friday and Christmas Day)
Admission Free
Charges apply to some exhibitions.
Phone / Fax / Email
[For international phone/fax access, substitute (02) below with + 612]
General Switchboard: (02) 9225 1700
Information Desk: (02) 9225 1744
General Fax: (02) 9225 1701
What's On Line: (02) 9225 1790 (Recorded Message)
Australia-wide toll-free number: 1800-NSW-ART (1800-679-278)
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