Australia's coal city flexes culture muscle with major gallery expansion

"The redevelopment prompted Simon and Catriona Mordant, leading Australian arts philanthropists, to make a record gift of 25 works from their private collection, and the gallery will present these to the public in a special exhibition to open in May. The building expansion makes Newcastle Art Gallery the largest public art institution in New South Wales outside Sydney."

"The gallery's permanent collection consists of more than 7,000 works of art valued at A$145m ($102m), making it the most significant regional collection in New South Wales, its director Lauretta Morton tells The Art Newspaper. She adds that the inclusion of work by Kazuo Yagi in Iconic Loved Unexpected will represent the gallery's avant-garde Japanese ceramics collection, which she describes as the best outside Japan."

"The expanded spaces allow the gallery for the first time to present long-term displays of works from its permanent collection. The opening exhibition of the permanent collection is titled Iconic Loved Unexpected, and will display 500 pieces by local, national and international artists from the early 19th century to today."

Newcastle Art Gallery completed a A$47m expansion project that more than doubled its exhibition space and reopened in February. The redevelopment prompted leading Australian arts philanthropists Simon and Catriona Mordant to donate 25 works from their private collection. The expanded gallery now houses over 7,000 artworks valued at A$145m, making it the most significant regional collection in New South Wales. The opening exhibition, Iconic Loved Unexpected, displays 500 pieces spanning from the early 19th century to today, featuring artists including Auguste Rodin, Joseph Lycett, Tracey Moffatt, and Sally Gabori. The gallery's avant-garde Japanese ceramics collection is recognized as the best outside Japan. New commissioned works include a 4m-high entrance sculpture featuring 30 cast aluminium fish created by Shellie Smith and Julie Squires.

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