Famous curator auctions art collection

One of Australia’s most respected fine art consultants and curators John Buckley is selling much of his impressive collection of modern and contemporary Australian art by some of the country’s leading artists.

The auction from 6.30pm on Tuesday at Mossgreen 926-930 High Street, Armadale is a great opportunity for art lovers to pick up quality works collected over many years by a professional art curator, according to Mossgreen managing director Paul Sumner.

“Currently director of the John Buckley Gallery in Melbourne, John Buckley has represented some of Australia’s most respected contemporary artists and knew many of them personally,” Mr Sumner said.

“He adopted an academic approach to collecting and his collection is institutional – almost like a museum.”

This is not surprising given John Buckley’s close involvement over many years with some of Australia’s most prestigious institutions such as the National Gallery of Victoria and the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Melbourne, and the Institute of Modern Art in Brisbane.

He also curated the Loti and Victor Smorgon Collection of Contemporary Art – now a key component of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.

This single-owner auction, containing 86 works, includes works by ground breaking Australian artists such as John Brack (who taught John Buckley at art school), Rosalie Gascoigne, Gareth Sansom, Dale Hickey, Bronwyn Oliver, Peter Atkins, Peter Booth, Howard Arkley and Ricky Swallow.

The John Brack work On the Rings 1975 has a catalogue estimate of $400,000-$600,000, while Rosalie Gascoigne’s mixed media assemblage Feather Chairs 1978 ($60,000-$100,000) is bound to attract plenty of attention.

Charles Blackman is represented with Razzle Dazzle by Moonlight circa 1953 and Howard Arkley by Primitive Silver 1982.

Other works of significance include Jan Senbergs Aurora on Starboard II 1988 and Dale Hickey’s Untitled 1986.

Given the catalogue estimates, many of the paintings could be considered more than suitable for those buyers looking to enter the art market for the first time.

For example, there are two works by Peter Booth Untitled and Sketch with Light Globe that carry estimates of $20,000-$30,000, while Stephen Killick’s contemporary paintings are between $600 and $800.

Colin Lanceley and Andrew Sibley are two other modestly priced contemporary artists – along with Stella Dilger, Rod McCrae and Juan Davila.

Slightly more expensive are works by such artists as Paul Boston (several of his works are in the sale) and James Hughes Clayden Green and White 1989.