Art Gallery of WA rooftop to feature massive Noongar artwork
The McGowan Government has announced it will transform the Art Gallery of WA’s rooftop into a multi-use gallery and 500-person venue over the next six months.
The new rooftop gallery known as “Elevate” will feature a 34-metre artwork by prominent Noongar artist Christopher Pease.
The giant painting will wrap around one third of the rooftop wall.
The Art Gallery of WA say the new work will be the largest Aboriginal art commission in the Gallery’s history and will be part of the State Art Collection.
Pease’s powerful, multi-layered artworks often focus on postcolonial history and Aboriginal identity – overlaying traditional scenes of Indigenous ways of living with ideas of western culture.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt said he was delighted the huge Noongar artwork will be a centrepiece for the development.
“Aboriginal art is not only strikingly beautiful, it is critical to truth telling and provides us insight into the history of our State and the connection of first nations people with these lands,” he said.
Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman said the project, the largest rooftop venue in Perth, will provide views of the hills, the city skyline and the new WA Museum.
He said the “combination of rooftop events, artworks and people will add vibrancy to the Perth Cultural Centre precinct.”
Other Art Gallery of WA announcements include the appointment of an Indigenous curator to focus on Noongar art and a new ground floor gallery dedicated to contemporary Aboriginal art.
Elevate will also include an external lift and skybridge from the Perth Cultural Centre precinct enabling access to the rooftop after-hours.
It is expected the project will be completed by January 2021 and will support 265 construction jobs.