Significant Indigenous art collection gifted to SAM

PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE... (l-r) SAM Limited chair Stephen Merrylees, SAM Limited deputy chair Kimberley Moulton, philanthropist and SAM foundation director Carrillo Gantner and Greater Shepparton City Council chief executive officer Peter Harriott. Photo: Supplied

THE Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is set to take receipt of one of the largest donations of Indigenous artwork to be gifted to a regional museum.

Arts patrons, Carrillo Gantner AC and his wife Ziyin Gantner, recently formalised the donation of more than $3M worth of art which will form the Gantner Collection in the new museum.

With a grand opening of SAM planned for October, the Gantner Collection will feature in the inaugural exhibition program. The recent gift builds on an earlier contribution by Mr Gantner’s to SAM in 2013.

Mr Gantner is a Victorian cultural leader, philanthropist, passionate art collector and SAM Foundation Board member, as well as an appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his support of the performing and visual arts.

The collection comprises of 341 artworks, including many well-known artists and works relating to the Shepparton area, including work by renowned Yorta Yorta artist Lin Onus.

Featuring 84 female and 90 male artists, a large portion of the collection represents artists from the Central and Western desert regions, and many from Arnhem land, Tiwi Islands, the Kimberley and Riverine areas.

“We are thrilled to become the caretakers of these treasured works,” SAM Limited chair, Mr Merrylees, said.

“This phenomenal gift will enrich SAM’s continued focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art.”

In coming weeks, the SAM team will begin the enormous undertaking of moving more than 4,000 pieces of artwork to the new building and start installing exhibitions.