Ergas Collection
The Ergas Collection is a unique art concept, offering opportunities and support for the most interesting and challenging emerging artists in Australasia through acquisitions and grants for commissions to artists and supporting projects such as exhibitions or publications.
The Ergas Collection aims to feed into the visual arts world in an important and simple way, making things happen without many of the pressures and politics experienced by other funding organisations. It is also keeping studios open, and allowing curators to work without added financial pressure.
With a strong philanthropic philosophy, Ergas Collection helps to support young and yet-to-be recognised Australasian artists in the earliest phases of their careers, offering assistance to support artists who have developed their practice independently of traditional educational paths or who remain outside the art world mainstream.
The Ergas Collection is building a collection of more challenging and innovative art, archive and materials beyond simply works on a wall - clients of the Ergas Collection engage with a public program that may include curatorial and artist talks, information studio or gallery visits. The Collection will also undertake to document the artists' ideas, materials and processes to preserve the crucial elements of an artist's early career, which are so often lost and overlooked.
Works acquired by the Collection will be made available to be shown as part of curatorial projects and through other curators or galleries and through loan arrangements with clients.
As a non-profit organisation, Ergas Collection generates funds through creating access to the collection including a loans service, curatorial consultation and professional advice to individuals, companies, museums, and corporate organisations.
The Ergas Collection team has also leveraged their industry experience and connections to offer Curatorial Logistics services including specialised art storage, freight, curatorial consultancy and estate management.
The Ergas Collection is building a collection of more challenging and innovative art, archive and materials beyond simply works on a wall - clients of the Ergas Collection engage with a public program that may include curatorial and artist talks, information studio or gallery visits. The Collection will also undertake to document the artists' ideas, materials and processes to preserve the crucial elements of an artist's early career, which are so often lost and overlooked. Works acquired by the Collection will be made available to be shown as part of curatorial projects and through other curators or galleries and through loan arrangements with clients.
EC contains over 250 works across a diverse range from sculpture and DVD by Lou Hubbard made from everyday domestic items, and paintings by Frank Nowlan depicting humble south coast vernacular architecture, to Melbourne artist Tammy Honey's short video piece called Candy, which explores male orientated iconography together with female sexuality.
EC has supported through direct financial means a number of innovative and challenging exhibitions of work both in Australia and abroad. Recent projects include other worlds/Othernews at Starkwhite in New Zealand (curated by Aaron Seeto) and travel assistance to artist Christian Capurro whose work was recently included in the 52nd Venice Biennale. EC also supports a number of artists through studio assistance and engaging with other gallery and cultural organisations such as Gertrude Contemporary Art Space's studio support program.