Wednesday, May 30, 2012

John Kaldor Family Collection – Summary

On May 2011, the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) opened The John Kaldor Collection. Truly a gift to the Australia, the collection is of over 200 contemporary international artists and has been composed over a period of 50 years, since the 1960s. It is worth over $35 million. Kaldor over the years has collected the works of numerous emerging artists, many of which are now highly influential in the art world. Due to the input of John Kaldor the Art Gallery of NSW can now boast an internationally acclaimed collection of contemporary art.

The collection is a conglomeration of both internationally recognised and emerging artists. Incorporating the works of Jean-Claude, Robert Rauschenberg, Gilbert and George, Nam June Paik, Sol LeWitt, Jeff Koons, Carl Andre, Rebecca Horn, and the list goes on. As one of the most dedicated collectors of contemporary art in Australia, John Kaldor’s collection ranges in mediums including performance, photography, sculpture, instillation, drawing, to name a few. Director of the Art Gallery of NSW, Edmund Capon conveyed "The John Kaldor Collection is the most important collection of late 20th century avant-garde art in Australia.”[1]

After a $27 million grant from the NSW government, AGNSW were able to complete the gallery space after having the collection since 2008. The floor was transformed from storage space into a space where the collection, and all that is included within it, could be enjoyed and marveled at by those who visit the gallery. As one goes downstairs into the space Sol LeWitt’s site specific drawings are one of the first pieces to catch the eye. The presence of the five drawings is consuming, largely due to the huge scale of the works, and exciting. In a way the Sol LeWitt pieces are like an enticing introduction to the gallery space, however not at all preparing you for what’s still to come.

The John Kaldor Family Collection, as a whole, works seamlessly with the rest of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, extending the contemporary collection to now be one admirable on an international scale. The experience of the collection alone is inspired.

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