Buxton Contemporary (Southbank)

Buxton Contemporary opened in 2018 at the University of Melbourne's art school, the Victorian College of the Arts. Designed by renowned architects Fender Katsalidis, the museum is comprised of four public exhibition galleries, teaching facilities, and the largest outdoor screen in Australia dedicated to the display of moving image art.

The museum is located in the heart of the Melbourne arts precinct where it provides a creative forum through which the University engages local, national and international audiences with the best of contemporary Australian and international art.

The Michael Buxton Collection was established in 1995 with the aim of creating a museum-quality collection of contemporary art while supporting and fostering the work of living artists. It is now comprised of more than 350 works by 59 artists spanning three generations, all of whom are at the forefront of contemporary art in Australasia. Through a focus on representing individual artists' practices in depth, the Collection traces the development of key artists over time while reflecting the broad scope of contemporary visual art since the mid-1980s.

In a landmark philanthropic act in 2014, Michael Buxton donated the Collection to the University of Melbourne along with funds to build a new museum and provision for its operations over the next 20 years. The gift provides ongoing public access to one of the most important private collections of contemporary art in Australia, while realising its educational potential by situating it within the Victorian College of the Arts in the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music.

Buxton Contemporary is the result of this gift and showcases the Collection while using it as the inspiration for a dynamic exhibition and education program. True to the origins of the Michael Buxton Collection, Buxton Contemporary continues to foster and support contemporary art practice in order to engage audiences with the culture and issues of today.

Opening Hours:

Opening Hours

Cost:

Free admission

Review:

Top class art gallery with large, bright and airy rooms which have quality exhibitions. At the entrance area there are some catalogs on sale from previous exhibitions. The gallery is located just a short walk from the NGV International on St Kilda Road.

All the exhibits are very well labelled with excellent explanations. A word of caution for families because most of the times we have been here, there has been exhibits with adult themes and images.

The last exhibition we visited was "National Anthem" which brought together 24 artists, from a range of generations, who critically address Australian national identity. Built around key works in the Michael Buxton Collection, together with works sourced from beyond the collection, this project reflects on the ways that the desire for a singular national identity often excludes Indigenous histories and denies the multiplicity of voices, cultures and experiences that enrich, contest and enhance Australian life.

Location

Cnr Southbank Boulevard and Dodds Street, Southbank 3006 Map

✆ (03) 9035 9339

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Web Links

→ buxtoncontemporary.com

→ Buxton Contemporary on Facebook