AGNSW_AnnRep_00 full.pdf - Parliament of New South Wales ...

Rover Thomas
Untitled (Two men dreaming) circa 1985
natural pigments on canvas board 91 x 61 cm
Purchased 2000
Friends of Conservation sponsored the binding of
1,000 drawings by William Dobell into four boxed
albums - a model for the presentation and preservation of
comparable study collections.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art
Major acquisitions this year were early paintings by
three of the most significant Aboriginal artists. The
paintings were Rover Thomas’ Untitled (Two Men
Dreaming) c. 1986, an early Papunya board by Uta Uta
Tjangala, Untitled 1972 and a bark painting by Narritjin
Maymuru, Djert (The Sea Eagle) c. 1960.
Preparations for the exhibition Papunya Tula: Genesis
and Genius for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Arts Festival
provided the opportunity to view paintings by artists who
have painted for Papunya Tula Artists Ltd over the past
30 years. The Mollie Gowing Acquisition Fund for
Contemporary Aboriginal Art purchased a significant
body of work by these artists for the exhibition and, in
turn, the collection. It included works by Timmy Payungka
Tjapangati, Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula, Ray James Tjangala,
Patrick Tjungurrayi, Naata Nungurrayi and Walangkura
Napanagka. The Leo Christie Emerging Artists Fund
bought an exhibition painting by Inyuwa Nampitjinpa.
10
Amitabha buddha, 8th century – 9th century
andesite, 105 x 88 x 65cm
Purchased with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society
of New South Wales 2000
Asian Art
The Art Gallery’s collection of Asian art was enriched
with acquisitions that comply with the aims of developing
comprehensive displays of the highest quality to show the
artistic heritage of the various countries identified as
Asian. The pieces encapsulate enduring characteristics of
the aesthetics of their respective cultures - values which
can now be appreciated by the Australian public.
Major acquisitions included three sculptures
acquired through the support of the Art Gallery Society.
These were the dramatic 8th century image of the
victorious Hindu goddess Durga killing the Buffalo
Demon, a finely carved 10th century Indian stone relief of
the boar incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, and an
impressive 9th century stone image of a Javanese seated
Buddha which perfectly conveys the Buddhist ideal of
spiritual fulfilment and the dignity of perfect wisdom.
Important Japanese acquisitions were a pair of gold
screens of pine trees by Suzuki Shonen and a beautiful
17th century pair of screens depicting autumn grasses on
the plain of Musashi, one of the great classical subjects of
Japanese art. The latter purchase was made through the
Art Gallery Foundation.
Amongst the very fine selection of gifts were a rare
Chinese Ding ware dish of the Song dynasty, one of the