Mervyn Napier Waller’s study for the Leckie window (left) and Australian symbolic figures (right). Photo: Viki Petherbridge
Rupert Bunny, Oedipus and the Sphinx, c. 1911, oil on canvas, 100 x 100 cm. The University of Melbourne Art Collection. Purchased 1960
This exhibition showcases the University of Melbourne Art Collection. The Grimwade Gallery displays for the first time Mervyn Napier Waller’s outstanding mural (c. 1940), which was originally commissioned for the Royal Insurance Company building located at 414 Collins Street, Melbourne. The mural was recently removed from its long-term location in the University of Melbourne’s Architecture Library, and conserved.
The large-scale figurative mural is displayed alongside other works by the artist, in addition to works by Mervyn Napier Waller's wife, Christian Waller, artist-colleague Norman Macgeorge, and Rupert Bunny. Included in this exhibition is the rarely seen study for the Ian Potter Museum of Art’s iconic stained glass Leckie window.
The Basil Sellers Art Prize invites artists to tackle an Australian obsession—sport. It offers artists an opportunity to be part of a major exhibition and a chance to win the $100,000 acquisitive prize. The call for entries to the Basil Sellers Art Prize 4 is now open! Check the website: http://www.sellersartprize.com.au/call-for-entries