WA Art Gallery to host exclusive works

Works by some of the world's most famous artists including Picasso, Kandinsky, Magritte, Mondrian, Giacometti, Duchamp, Ernst and Pollock will be on show at the Art Gallery of Western Australia from tonight.

The 'Peggy Guggenheim: a Collection in Venice' will be officially opened tonight by Culture and the Arts Minister John Day and Tourism Minister Liz Constable.

The exhibition pays tribute to Peggy Guggenheim whose dedication to philanthropy in the arts has been influential in the history of modern art.

"This exhibition has been exclusively curated for Perth - these works have never been seen before in the Southern Hemisphere," said Mr Day.

"It is thanks to the enthusiasm, drive and passion of the Art Gallery of WA's director,
Dr Stefano Carboni, and a new five-year partnership between the gallery and Eventscorp that this important collection of modern art is now on show in WA," he said.

The exhibition will be open to the public for four months.

See joint statement from Arts Minister and Tourism Minister below:

Culture and the Arts Minister John Day and Tourism Minister Liz Constable will tonight open 'Peggy Guggenheim: a Collection in Venice' - an exclusive exhibition of historically significant works of art by some of the world's most famous artists.

Works by Picasso, Kandinsky, Magritte, Mondrian, Giacometti, Duchamp, Ernst and Pollock will be on show at the Art Gallery of Western Australia for a four-month season.

Mr Day said the exhibition paid tribute to Peggy Guggenheim whose dedication to philanthropy in the arts had been influential in the history of modern art.

"This exhibition has been exclusively curated for Perth - these works have never been seen before in the Southern Hemisphere," he said.

"It is thanks to the enthusiasm, drive and passion of the Art Gallery of WA's director,
Dr Stefano Carboni, and a new five-year partnership between the gallery and Eventscorp that this important collection of modern art is now on show in WA.

"I am sure Peggy Guggenheim's unique personal vision will captivate visitors to the gallery through this eclectic and dynamic collection."

Dr Constable said the exhibition was another example of Eventscorp's work in attracting a mix of high-profile cultural events to the State following the recent blockbuster successes of 'A Day in Pompeii' at the WA Museum and the exclusive production of 'The Graduate' at His Majesty's Theatre.

"These events enhance the vibrancy of our city - it is important for Eventscorp to continue to attract a diverse selection of events such as this, to strike a balance between sport and culture," she said.

"The new agreement between Eventscorp and the Art Gallery of WA will bring a series of annual international art exhibitions to Perth.

"This series of exclusive exhibitions adds to Perth's already rich cultural offering and provides interstate and international visitors with another extraordinary WA experience."

The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue which includes an essay by Philip Rylands, director of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice.

This exhibition has been organised by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation,
New York and the Art Gallery of Western Australia. Tickets are available at the gallery or through BOCS Ticketing.