{"id":31782,"date":"2025-07-29T19:39:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T19:39:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/31782\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T19:39:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T19:39:10","slug":"a-sidney-nolan-above-the-sofa-inside-artbank-the-collection-that-lets-you-rent-a-masterpiece-australian-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/31782\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sidney Nolan above the sofa? Inside Artbank, the collection that lets you rent a masterpiece | Australian art"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re familiar with borrowing books from a library or renting a car, a carpet cleaner or a suit, but have you ever considered loaning an artwork? A Sidney Nolan<\/a>, perhaps? An Emily Kam Kngwarray<\/a> or Patricia Piccinini<\/a>? Or maybe something from an up-and-coming video artist<\/a> or photographer<\/a>? A neon text-based work<\/a>? Or something more hard-hitting, like a series of paintings on discarded aerial maps that symbolically reclaims country from mining companies<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Should any of these pique your interest, Artbank<\/a> has you covered. The government-owned collection is composed of more than 11,000 works of art available for loan by individuals and businesses, starting from as little as $165 for a year and capping at $11,000.<\/p>\n

Artbank Sydney, Waterloo. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

The genesis of the collection dates back to the mid-70s, when the Whitlam government began researching new ways to support contemporary art. Brian Johns, a cultural critic and political journalist, led the project, taking inspiration from Canada\u2019s Art<\/a> Bank. The premise was simple: acquire works of art, loan them for fees, then reinvest those fees into new acquisitions and operating costs. The mission was twofold: to support living artists and galleries by buying their work, and to make art accessible to a broader public.<\/p>\n

Although it started with Whitlam, Artbank didn\u2019t launch until 1980 under the Fraser government, part of a campaign promise \u201cto bring Australian art<\/a> out of the galleries into the community\u201d. Within 12 years, the innovative model proved itself: from 1992, Artbank was financially self-sustaining and has remained largely so ever since.<\/p>\n

\u2018Our job is to make [accessing the art] as easy as possible\u2019: Artbank director Zo\u00eb Rodriguez. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

Now, Artbank invests half a million dollars of its annual income from loans into acquiring new works from every state and territory. Director Zo\u00eb Rodriguez believes that among Australian collecting institutions, this represents the largest budget dedicated specifically to emerging and living practitioners. Last year, roughly 50% of that budget was spent on works by First Nations artists.<\/p>\n

Launching in August, a coffee table book and companion exhibition in Melbourne will offer a window into the works, workings and history of this unique institution, which turns 45 this year. But the best way to experience Artbank \u2013 a collection that belongs to the Australian people \u2013 is to visit its Sydney or Melbourne premises and get among the works. These spaces \u2013 designed by Aileen Sage Architects and Edition Office respectively \u2013 act as hybrid storehouses and galleries. Their most striking features are row upon row of art-laden storage racks on wheels, and shelving units full of sculptures. Access to the collection can be arranged via phone or email, while public exhibitions can be seen in Artbank Sydney\u2019s window display or the Melbourne gallery.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur job is to make [accessing the art] as easy as possible,\u201d says Rodriguez. Some people arrive knowing exactly what they want, having browsed the digitised collection, she says.\u201cOthers come and say, \u2018I know nothing\u2019 \u2013 part of our work is to demystify art and to help them find the right thing for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Currently on view at Artbank Sydney in Waterloo is the exhibition Barlmarrk: wind, breath, pulse, power. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

That could be a themed series of works for an office, that rotates year-on-year; an artwork that helps a collector test future investments; a piece an ambassador can use to communicate Australian values in overseas embassies; a sculpture that an interior designer architecture chooses to complete a project; or simply something that brings daily joy to someone in their home.<\/p>\n

In the case of high-end works, some of which are now worth millions, Artbank offers a rare chance to get up close to a masterpiece. \u201cWe\u2019re making them accessible to a lot of people who might not be able to find that work on the market because it might not be available, but also who probably couldn\u2019t afford that work,\u201d says Rodriguez.<\/p>\n

Whatever the reason behind a visit, there\u2019s something special about pulling out the racks of art yourself \u2013 not unlike the joyful sense of possibility in a pick-and-mix lolly shop. Old and new works of different mediums, styles and genres sit side-by-side in weird and wonderful juxtapositions, arranged randomly according to where space is available when they\u2019re returned.<\/p>\n

Senior curator Oliver Watts. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

Wonderful stories emerge from viewing the collection in the company of Artbank\u2019s consultants, who know the works and their travels intimately. During my visit to Artbank\u2019s Waterloo premises, I hear how one of Ken Thaiday Sr\u2019s shark headdresses<\/a> spent time in Russia, sharing stories of Torres Strait Islands culture on a world stage; and I learn that Thom Roberts\u2019 Magic Robot Machine<\/a> \u2013 Artbank\u2019s first Augmented Reality acquisition \u2013 was inspired by his love of photocopiers and trains.<\/p>\n

Hanging on one rack is the nearly three-metre-tall Swamp (No.4)<\/a>, painted by Brent Harris in 1999. For a time, it occupied the Australian embassy in Moscow; more recently it hung in the foyer of Sydney\u2019s Renzo Piano-designed skyscraper Aurora Place. \u201cBrent was travelling to Sydney [a few years ago] and spotted it as he was walking past,\u201c curator Oliver Watts tells me. \u201cHe hadn\u2019t seen it in decades. He posted it on Instagram and let us know.\u201d Many artists are pleased to be collected by Artbank specifically because they know their work will be out-and-about, not in storage, says Rodriguez.<\/p>\n

Works by Brent Harris, Yaritji Young, Timothy Cook, Clara Adolphs, Thom Roberts and Lily Hargraves, at Artbank Sydney. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins\/The Guardian<\/p>\n

This out-and-aboutness comes with extra risks and challenges, however. \u201cBecause over 50% of our collection is in different environments and overseas, we have to be really careful about inspecting works when they return,\u201d says senior registrar Rod Palmer. In Artbank\u2019s conservation area, Guardian Australia hears about the nitty-gritty details of quarantine rooms, UV perspex, and anoxic treatments that seal works in oxygen-free spaces to eliminate silverfish, carpet beetles and other pests.<\/p>\n

I spy a spider on the wall of the conservation area and ask about it. Rodriguez laughs \u2013 \u201cIt has an interesting history with us.\u201d The larger-than-life sculpture was made by Abdul-Rahman Abdullah in 2017 as part of his Among Monsters<\/a> series. \u201cPeople often choose it because it\u2019s really cool,\u201d says Rodriguez, \u201cbut it is invariably returned because somebody is scared of spiders!\u201d Fiona, the in-house art conservator who works under the sculpture every day, tells me she\u2019s nicknamed him Franklin.<\/p>\n

It is these many quirky, curious and compelling stories that make Artbank a particularly special collection. As Graeme Sturgeon, Artbank\u2019s first director, said: \u201cIt\u2019s probably more accurate to describe Artbank as a library of art, rather than a bank. We don\u2019t take the work and keep it hidden away.\u201d Like a library, it is full of stories that can be taken home, discovered and discussed. It takes art off its often-too-high pedestal and shares it with everyone.<\/p>\n

On Display: The Story of Australia\u2019s Most Visible Art Collection is out in August. A companion exhibition runs from 8 August to 10 October at Artbank Melbourne<\/a>, Collingwood.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We\u2019re familiar with borrowing books from a library or renting a car, a carpet cleaner or a suit,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":31783,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,96,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-31782","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-design","12":"tag-entertainment","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31782"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31782\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31783"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}