The Rockhampton Art Gallery collection is set to receive its first work by notable Australian painter Cherry Hood.
The donation of Narcissus II, by a private collector through the Cultural Gifts Program, ensures that a painting by the Archibald prize winner will now join works by living Australian artists including Del Kathryn Barton, Daniel Boyd, Sally Gabori, Imants Tillers and Ben Quilty.
Cherry Hood is an Archibald prize winner who has artworks in many Australian art collections, including the Art Gallery of NSW, ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Gallery of Australia, and Artbank. Living and working in Sydney, she has become well known for her use of watercolour and pigment to make largescale figurative paintings and has been exhibited nationally and internationally. The acquisition of a work by Cherry Hood represents Rockhampton Art Gallery’s drive to ensure active acquisition of contemporary Australian artists.
Chair of Rockhampton Regional Council’s Community Services Committee, Cr. Rose Swadling said that Rockhampton Art Gallery has one of the most significant collections in regional Australia.
“This donation builds on an already impressive collection of works by contemporary artists. Rockhampton Art Gallery is actively engaged in a collecting program and in that way ensures the collection’s continued relevance,” she said.
The Cultural Gift has been made possible through the support of Heiser Projects.
Director of Heiser Projects, Bruce Heiser said, “It was a great pleasure to for me to assist in arranging the donation of this fine work by senior Australian artist Cherry Hood to Rockhampton’s collection.
“The gallery is well recognised for the quality of its collection, with former Mayor Rex Pilbeam highly regarded both for his forward thinking, and his hard work, in establishing the nucleus for what is rightfully considered to be a major regional collection.
“The addition of Hood’s Narcissus II adds to an already substantial collection of figurative works held in Rockhampton’s collection, and I look forward to seeing it in-situ on my next visit to the gallery”.
Members of the public can see Narcissus II at Rockhampton Art Gallery from 17 August until 17 September as part of Public Treasures. The exhibition is an open collection presentation that continuously refreshes presenting a greater range of works that ever change throughout the exhibition period.
Public Treasures: Collection of Cultural Gifts, on exhibition at Rockhampton Art Gallery 17 August – 10 November 2019. Since its opening in 1976 the Rockhampton Art Gallery has built a remarkable and diverse collection of Australian and international art which attracts over 30,000 visitors a year. With over 2,000 works held in the permanent collection, the Gallery draws upon its collection throughout the year to inform a program of curated and touring exhibitions, art awards, education workshops and public programs.
Rockhampton Art Gallery’s Collection has benefited substantially from gifts and donations of artworks since its inception and continues to receive significant artworks through the Commonwealth Cultural Gifts Scheme. Our nationally significant Collection would not exist as it is today without these generous donations, and Public Treasures: Collection of Cultural Gifts seeks to pay tribute to the most significant champions of the Gallery and acknowledge the ongoing support of donors.
Image | Cherry Hood (b. 1959) | Narcissus II 2008 | Watercolour paint on canvas, sealed with coating | Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Imelda Ryan 2019 | 2019.001
Rockhampton Art Gallery is owned and operated by Rockhampton Regional Council.
