When Roger met Olivier in Memphis

Premier Roger Cook traversed everything from Karl Lagerfeld to economic development when he opened a private art gallery run by former West Australian Ballet executive director Olivier David.

Mr Cook readily acknowledged he was not an art expert while opening the gallery, which unusually operates from a private house in Claremont.

He also asked the rhetorical question everyone at the recent opening of the OFFMARKET Gallery was wondering.

“You might be wondering what’s a premier doing opening a small art gallery in the western suburbs?” he asked.

Mr Cook, who was accompanied by his wife Carly Lane, curator of indigenous art at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, said he was among friends but also pointed to an opportunity.

“As we sit here in isolated Western Australia and think about attracting people to this part of the world, to be part of our community, the first thing they will do is ask: what is this place like, what can we do, what is the amenity, what are the people like?

“And, of course, art is an expression of who we are.

“We should always take the opportunity to celebrate art but it's not just an art opportunity, it's an economic development opportunity.”

The premier’s words will encourage many in the arts sector who hope for more government support and see opportunities to link the arts and tourism.

Last year’s appointment of Perth Festival artistic director Iain Grandage to the board of Tourism WA is a signal that others see the same opportunity.

Mr David has brought something new to Perth’s arts scene with an exhibition showcasing works by members of the Memphis Group, a 1980s movement credited with “redefining the boundaries of contemporary design”.

Using his architect-designed house in Claremont, OFFMARKET represents a new business model for an art gallery.

Its inaugural exhibition, ‘Back to Memphis Milano: A Design Revolution’, is described by Mr David as a celebration of the Memphis Milano movement.

As well as many works for sale, the collection features an exclusive display of original artworks, vintage posters, jewellery and furniture provided by design group Mobilia.

Designer Karl Lagerfield and David Bowie were renowned as big fans of the movement.

It was led by designers from Milan, who adopted the name Memphis as it was the capital of Ancient Egypt and home to Ptah, the chief deity of the city and worshipped as the patron god of craftsmen and architects.

Legend also holds that the movement was founded at a gathering at the home of designer Ettorre Sottsass, while a vinyl record played Bob Dylan's ‘Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again’.

Mr David said the movement has enjoyed a resurgence with contemporary art collectors, with exhibitions the Pompidou Museum in Paris, MAD Museum in New York, Triennale Milano and Modern Art Museum in Shanghai.

"We are thrilled to present the Memphis Group's extraordinary legacy through this unique curated collection and to commemorate the group's indelible influence on design history and to showcase exquisite, limited-edition silkscreens by Nathalie du Pasquier and George Sowden,” he said.

The exhibition will run until the end of March, with open house during Perth Design Week.  

More details, including for private viewings, can be found at www.offmarketgallery.com.au.