REPORT: FUNDING DEVELOPMENTS, ASIAN ARTS – TAASA Review June 2008

New Asian Art Acquisition Fund National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Following on from the launch of the Supporters of Asian Art in 2007, the National Gallery of Victoria earlier this year (February 2008) announced the establishment of the Asian Art Acquisition Fund, with initial major supporter donations of almost $10 million.

The Fundsignifies the NGV’s commitment to strengthening and enrichingthe Gallery’s historical and contemporary Asian collections. Initial donations included $6 million from the NGV’s President of Trustees Allan Myers and his wife Maria; and a further $4 million which includes donations from: the Yulgilbar Foundation; Chair of the Supporters of Asian Art and NGV Trustee Jason Yeap; Chair of the NGV Foundation and NGV Trustee Bruce Parncutt; and two major bequests.The Director of the NGV, Dr Gerard Vaughan, has said that these donations are the first to be announced, leading up to the launch of the NGV’s major 150th anniversary fundraising campaign in May 2008, which will conclude in the sesquicentenary year, 2011.

The inaugural purchase of the Asian Art Acquisition Fund is Horse Stable, an early 17th century Japanese six panel folding screen depicting boldly drawn horses rearing and plungingin their stable. The Asian art collections at the NGVhave benefited from generous philanthropic support for well over 100 years, and the Asian Art Supporters Fund continues the tradition of Melbourne philanthropy.Important Asian historical and contemporary works which have recently entered theNGV collections include: an 18th century Korean porcelain dragon jar with a lively dragon painted in underglaze blue, purchased with assistance from the Supporters of Asian Art; and Tender Are the Stairs to Heaven, an installation by contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama (born 1929)which combines fibre optic cable and mirrors to create a ladder to infinity. The Asian Art Acquisition Fund will enable the NGV to enhance the quality and breadth of its Asian collections, and to represent the art of our region through exemplary works displayed in both the permanent collection galleries and in focus exhibitions. Appeal for an Indian `Masterpieces for the Nation’ National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Over recent years, the National Gallery of Australia hasestablished a small collection oflarge Indianshrine hangings (pichhavai)...