An exhibition featuring a unique collection of artworks, gifted to Gough and Margaret Whitlam in 1979, will be shared with Blacktown Arts and available to the public at The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre.
The collection, first unveiled at the Whitlam Institute, in Western Sydney University in June 2019, will be on exhibition from 18 October to 13 November 2022.
DEDICATED to the DEDICATED: Whitlam, the Arts and Democracy, includes works by John Olsen, Brett Whiteley, Lloyd Rees, John Coburn, Arthur Boyd and more, and is inscribed with a message of thanks to Gough and Margaret Whitlam for 'the marks they have made on the Australian canvas'.
This major exhibition documents how Gough Whitlam viewed the arts not just as a means of enriching the quality of life, but as a fundamental human right and a precondition for a healthy democracy.
Gough Whitlam was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1972 to 1975 and led the enactment of a series of far-reaching political reforms.
Whitlam Institute Director, John Juriansz, said "The Whitlam Institute is delighted to share this extraordinary collection with the people of Blacktown.
"Whitlam's belief in a more confident and independent cultural identity for Australia is as relevant as ever.
"This Australian-first exhibition underscores why a thriving artistic community is important for a healthy democracy.
"The Whitlams' Folio is one of around 37,000 items in the Whitlam Prime Ministerial Collection, which is unsurpassed by any other in Australia."
"The new exhibition also documents how Gough Whitlam viewed the arts as a fundamental human right and a precondition for a healthy democracy. In his words, 'A society in which the arts flourish is a society in which every human value can flourish'."
Blacktown Arts embodies the legacy of the Whitlam administration, striving to help artists shape the cultural environment and identity of Blacktown and beyond.
"We are looking forward to sharing it with the community through this important new exhibition, which offers a superb insight into the legacy of the Whitlam Government," Mayor of Blacktown City, Tony Bleasdale OAM said.
A touring exhibition of The Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University.
Curator: Guy Betts
This exhibition draws extensively on the Whitlam Prime Ministerial Collection. We wish to acknowledge the assistance of: The Whitlam Family, The Folio artists and their families, Kim Williams AM, Patricia Amphlett OAM, Professor Barney Glover AO, Vice Chancellor - Western Sydney University, The Australia Council for the Arts, those who shared their knowledge and recollections for the exhibition video.
Details
Wednesday, 18 October to Sunday ,13 November 2022
The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre, 78 Flushcombe Rd, Blacktown, NSW 2148
Special Exhibition Closing with drinks: Sunday, 13 November, 1 pm to 4 pm. All invited.
