Re/Collections

Re/Collections: a suite of exhibitions reimagined to celebrate works in the WA State Art Collection.

As Western Australia’s greatest visual art asset, the prized Collection aims to empower visitors to understand the world — old, new, unknown — creatively.

Re/Collections is an extension of this objective. Expertly curated, the exhibitions have been woven together to create a rich tapestry of cultures, states, moments, and ideas, both here at home and farther afield. Far from the conventional chronological displays of the past, Re/Collections allows audiences to consider, reconsider and consider again.

AGWA acquired its first work of art in 1895. Today, the AGWA Collection contains more than 18,500 works, valued at over $361 million making it the largest public art collection in WA and one of the largest in Australia.

One of the Collection’s core strengths is its holdings of works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and its representation of Western Australian art and artists. Twentieth-century Australian and British paintings and sculpture are also a key asset.

Each year, the Collection grows by 150-400 works, largely through the generous support of AGWA’s Foundation donors and private donations.

Like many art museums worldwide, AGWA only displays a fraction of Gallery holdings at any time. As such, some of the WA State Art Collection can be viewed online.