ANYONE in the community could breathe new life into history through the Art Gallery of Ballarat\u2019s Adopt an Artwork program.<\/p>\n
Established in 2009, the program encourages financial donors to sponsor a work in the gallery\u2019s collection in need of desperate conservation work, whether that be cleaning, repairs or general maintenance of ageing mediums.<\/p>\n
Gallery Director, Louise Tegart said the program has raised $400,000 and has conserved 100 works in the last 10 years.<\/p>\n
But the AGB\u2019s current Adopt an Artwork exhibition, showing fragile works by Sidney Nolan, Louis McCubbin, Margaret Preston and beyond, is the first time the project has been visible to patrons.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore, the works were just online and people could go online and see, so this is unusual. The gallery\u2019s putting their worst foot forward,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Rather than simply asking the public for donations to collection conversation, Ms Tegart thought it important for people to come in and see the works in their current state.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext to the artworks, we\u2019ve provided a synopsis of work that needs to be done by the conservator and then the value of that work,\u201d she said. \u201cConservation is a really expensive and timely process. The works have to go off-site because we don\u2019t have a conservation lab.\u201d<\/p>\n
The reasons for the works needing some TLC differs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not that we\u2019re not looking after the works,\u201d Ms Tegart said. \u201cSidney Nolan, for example, he used house paint which hasn\u2019t stood the test of time as a medium, so then there\u2019s inherent issues with the painting itself.<\/p>\n