| |
35 Derby Street, Collingwood
Australian Galleries was established in Melbourne by Tam and
Anne Purves in June 1956. The space was originally the Purves’
pattern manufacturing business in the inner suburb of
Collingwood. They supplied the all-important patterns to the
local fashion industry which was centred around the warehouses in the
adjoining streets.
Together their vision and driving force resulted in the development of
what was then, an extraordinary idea. They started a commercial
gallery to show the small group of culturally important post-war
Australian artists emerging in Melbourne who at the time had nowhere to
seriously show and sell their work. The first painters to exhibit
at Australian Galleries included artists who went on to become some of
Australia’s greatest ever, such as Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Albert
Tucker and John Perceval.
Anne and Tam pioneered the professional exhibiting and marketing of
contemporary art in Australia. From the beginning, their gallery
developed a reputation for representing prominent Australian artists
and along with the aforementioned, included other great names, John
Brack, John Olsen, Fred Williams and Brett Whiteley.
Stuart Purves, the youngest of three children, joined his parents in
the gallery in 1966. After the death of Tam in 1969, Stuart and
Anne ran the gallery until her death in 1999.
Now under the sole directorship of Stuart Purves, and with 15 staff,
Australian Galleries continues to represent significant contemporary
Australian artists including Jeffrey Smart, Inge King, William
Robinson, John Coburn, Garry Shead, Colin Lanceley, John
Wolseley, Peter Neilson, Lewis Miller, Peter Churcher and Graeme
Drendel, along with an involvement in the estates of George Baldessin,
Brett Whiteley, Lloyd Rees and Arthur Boyd. (see full artists list on
home page).
Development
A passionate advocate of artists, Stuart Purves’ role as director is to
ensure Australian Galleries remains vital and viable so that the
artists they represent can air their views through the exhibiting of
their work and survive and prosper.
Stuart has expanded the business to include four galleries, two each in
Victoria and New South Wales. In recognition of the need to
honour the status of prints, drawings, watercolours and photography,
one gallery in each state specialises in works on paper.
The move to Sydney in 1989 provided a strong, extended audience and
client base, as well as closer contact with artists living in New South
Wales.
The Melbourne Painting and Sculpture gallery operates from the original
site at 35 Derby Street with the works on paper gallery at 50 Smith
Street, both in Collingwood. In Sydney the galleries are in key
locations in Paddington, with the painting and sculpture at 15 Roylston
Street and the works on paper gallery at 24 Glenmore Road. All
locations offer simple, architecturally designed space for uncluttered
viewing of the works of art.
Averaging between forty-five to fifty exhibitions each year, the
necessity of producing their own print media became evident. In
2001 Stuart began an in-house graphic design and production department
for invitations, folios, catalogues and books to promote the gallery’s
extensive programme for the artist’s.
To ensure maximum efficiency for sales, administration and cataloguing,
Australian Galleries recently employed an IT company to create a
unique database. This was designed specifically for Australian
Galleries use to incorporate multi-functional capabilities. The system
meets the reference needs of art curators and historians and combines
real-time business interaction between the four galleries.
Expertise and Contemporary Perspective
Stuart Purves travels weekly between Sydney and Melbourne to work
closely with his experienced gallery teams. He also travels regularly
overseas to visit artists and update his international perspective.
With forty years of active involvement in the visual arts, and as one
of Australia’s few second-generation art dealers, Stuart is regularly
consulted by the visual arts industry for his knowledge and expertise.
He is an approved valuer under the Commonwealth Government’s Cultural
Gifts Program and is a former chairman, and now President, of the
Australian Commercial Galleries Association.
For ten years he was a member of the Melbourne Contemporary Art Fair
Board and held the role of Chairman for four of these years.
Future Directions
The success of Australian Galleries is a reflection of the passion and
commitment to the artists it represents. Stuart Purves’ personal
dedication and enthusiasm to the promotion of the arts in Australia is
indicative of his confidence in the important role visual art plays in
the national and international psyche.
|
|
