John Kaldor Family Collection

A passionate and committed collector of Contemporary art for over 50 years, John Kaldor has amassed over 200 Australian and international artworks worth more than $35 million. In 1969 he invited Christo and Jean-Claude to Australia to create The Wrapped Coast which would go on to be John Kaldor’s Art Project 1. From here he began the Kaldor Public Art Projects which was listed in 2004 on the register of charitable organisations. His organisation not only brings innovative Contemporary art to Australians but also develops educational programs for students and the general public.

In 2008 Kaldor gifted his amazing collection to the AGNSW. It is the largest and most significant benefaction in the gallery’s history. With a $27 million grant from the NSW government, the AGNSW was able to build a 3400m2 Contemporary Art exhibition space. Walking down the multilevel stairs to the Kaldor exhibition you are magically drawn in by Rondinone’s clockwork for oracles 2011, a 2 storey whitewashed newsprint wall with brightly colored plexiglass reflective ‘windows’ triggering a feeling of excitement and anticipation of what is to come. On entering the gallery level a series of large wrapped pieces by Christo lay before you, to the left the magnificent wall work Southern gravity 2011 by Richard Long with his Spring showers circle 2011 below, turn right and head towards the both vibrant and white minimalistic works of Sol Lewitt.

The current John Kaldor Family Collection exhibition finds 61 works from 22 exciting contemporary artists including Robert Rauschenberg, Carl Andre, Jeff Koons, Francis Alyis, Christo, Uno Rondinone and Sol Lewitt. The themes embraced include; minimalism and conceptual art, action and location, pop art, photography and video, history and memory and back to the future. The artworks include media styles such as installation, photography, video art, assemblage and painting with a strong lean towards sculpture and drawing.

AGNSW has triumphantly given a new ‘home’ to Kaldor’s collection of Contemporary art allowing the audience to emotionally engage with each artwork. As John Kaldor said “I hope the public will have the same pleasure and sense of discovery that I was fortunate to have living with this collection” 1.

1. Wayne Tunnicliffe, John Kaldor Family Collection, Art Gallery New South Wales (Sydney: Art Gallery New South Wales, 2011)