Opening-weekend celebrations

Artspace is excited to officially reopen its doors to celebrate its 40th birthday, following a multi-million-dollar capital transformation.

Over the past two years, Artspace in The Gunnery has undergone a major redevelopment, funded by the New South Wales State Government through Create NSW and led by DunnHillam Architects. The Gunnery is a NSW State heritage-listed building located on Gadigal land, in Woolloomooloo, next to Sydney Harbour, and has been occupied by artists for over 60 years of its rich history. Artspace has secured the building as a contemporary art space for at least another 35 years.

Artspace is one of the leading institutions for the production and presentation of contemporary art in the Asia Pacific and the building transformation will increase its capacity for new commissions, exhibitions, performances, studio residencies, publishing, public programs, learning and outreach initiatives, and advocacy.

Artspace relaunches with an expansive, multi-platform public program. The first major exhibition is a new co-commission by Wiradyuri and Kamilaroi artist Jonathan Jones, untitled (transcriptions of country), which has been co-curated with the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, 2021. Jones considers the colonial transportation, trade and translation of Australian native plants and animals—as well as Aboriginal portraits, objects, music and their associated knowledges—by examining the 1800–03 French expedition under the command of Captain Nicolas Baudin.

A project by artist Debra Phillips, LOUPE, opens concurrently in the Ideas Platform. Responding to and drawing from Artspace’s archive, it features a new presentation of photographs taken in 1984 at Artspace’s original premises accompanied by a 24-page newspaper-style publication. Navigating our relationship to time and place, the work oscillates between Artspace’s beginnings four decades ago and its current moment of transformation.

Artspace’s unique studio program has long offered one-year studio residencies entirely rent-free. The 2023 redevelopment enables it to increase the program from seven to ten artists each year. This will provide space and support for 350 artists over the next 35 years to research and produce new works without constraint in an open and critically engaged environment. The artists selected for the 2024 One Year Studio Program are: Jack Ball, Brian Fuata, Julia Gutman, Tina Havelock Stevens, Jazz Money, Thea Anamara Perkins, Gemma Smith, Leyla Stevens, Latai Taumoepeau and David M Thomas. Together these artists—working across a range of media, with different backgrounds and at all career stages—reflect the rich and multifaceted nature of Australia’s artistic community. 

The Banner Series, a rotating series of artworks commissioned for the exterior of The Gunnery building, will also launch as part of Artspace’s transformation. The banners will become a prominent site for artists to contemplate, disrupt and experiment, providing a lively, constantly changing enhancement to the built environment. The first commission is by Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist Dennis Golding, Colouring Memory, 2023. 

The Artspace team is excited to welcome the public for opening weekend celebrations with a full program of performance, live music, exhibition tours, studio viewings, artist talks and panel discussions. Celebrations take place on Friday December 15 from 5:30–10pm and on Saturday December 16 between 11am–6pm.

Visit here for the Opening Weekend Program.