TWMA

The HOWARD ARKLEY (and friends…) Art Exhibition has been brilliantly curated by the director of the TarraWarra Museum of Art. Victoria Lynn and TWMA curator Anthony Fitzpatrick. It is currently showing at TWMA which is located one hour’s drive from central Melbourne in the beautiful wine-growing area of the Yarra Valley.

Dates: 5^th December to 28^th February. www.twma.com.au

Some of our followers will already know of the TWMA Art Gallery and the unique, privately funded philanthropic way with which it was established.   For those unfamiliar with its genesis, TWMA was established in 2000. It is the    ‘first privately funded public visual arts museum’ to be set up under the Australian Government’s philanthropic measures established in 1999.    TWMA operates as a not-for-profit institution, with a charter to display Australian Art from the second half of the twentieth century to the present. TWMA was established with a very generous gift to the Australian public by its founders, EVA and MARK BESEN.

The eventual design chosen for the current TWMA museum building was selected through an architectural design competition in 2000. Australian architect, Allan Powell’s stunning design was chosen. Both the exterior and interiors of this museum are beautifully thought-out with some of the exhibition spaces offering contemplative lookouts to the tranquil landscape.

Since opening its doors to the public in 2003, TWMA has been impressive in both its selection of Artists shown, as well as their curatorial input. I love going out to TWMA and to partake in their exhibitions. Perhaps because it is such a unique venue with a non-institutional origin, it often feels refreshingly independent in its viewpoint, regardless of the artist or topic being presented.