Overview
Aussie art royalty is headed our way this spring, with one of Australia's best-known contemporary art galleries revealing it's opening a Melbourne outpost from October. Founded in Sydney in 2005, Sullivan+Strumpf has earned a huge name for itself both here and internationally, even becoming the first Aussie gallery to establish a permanent presence in Asia when it expanded to Singapore in 2015.
Now, it's Melbourne's turn, as Ursula Sullivan and Joanna Strumpf gear up to open a 300-square-metre Flack Studio-designed gallery in Collingwood. It'll launch with a major solo exhibition by renowned multidisciplinary artist Tony Albert, off the back of his smash-hit 2021 show, Conversations with Margaret Preston.
Moving forward, the new gallery will be tapping into Sullivan+Strumpf's impressive lineup of contemporary artists from across Australia and the Asia Pacific, showcasing works from names like Lindy Lee, Yvette Coppersmith, Polly Borland, Dawn Ng, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran and Darren Sylvester.
Dawn Ng in her Singapore studio, photo by Sean Lee.
"We look forward to building on the valued relationships we have established in Melbourne over the years, to developing new ones," the founders said. "And to providing an exciting new platform for our artists and contemporary art in Australia."
The Sydney gallery currently hosts over 25 live exhibitions each year and its new Melbourne sibling is set to follow suit, with a year-round program of shows, talks and events on the cards.
Last year, Sullivan+Strumpf oversaw the largest single living artist commission in the history of the National Gallery of Australia with Lindy Lee's $14 million sculptural installation Ouroboros, while in 2022 it's facilitating the history-making Art Gallery of NSW commission of Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens.
Yvette Coppersmith in her studio working on 'Presage', photo by Mel Savage.
Find Sullivan+Strumpf's new Melbourne gallery in Collingwood from October. We'll share more details as they drop.
Top Image: Sullivan+Strumpf directors Ursula Sullivan & Joanna Strumpf, photo by Anna Kucera.