❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice inquires about the Art Gallery of WA's collection, including its size, value, acquisitions, disposals, and conservation practices. The answer provides details on collection size, value, acquisition/deaccession policies, and conservation assessments.
AnsweredQoN 3417Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the current collection at the Art Gallery of WA and ask: (a) How many pieces are in the collection; (b) What is the current value of the collection; (c) What is the current value of each piece in the collection; (d) How many pieces have been added to the collection for each of the past five years; (e) How many pieces have been removed from the collection for each of the past five years; (f) For the past five years, have any pieces been removed from the collection due to: (i) Deterioration/poor condition and if so, how many pieces; and (ii) Lack of suitable storage and if so, how many pieces; (g) What criteria are used to assess what pieces are added to the collection; (h) What criteria are used to assess what pieces are removed from the collection; (i) How many pieces in the collection are considered to be unstable or at a high risk of deterioration: (i) what is the value of each piece which is unstable or at high risk of deterioration; and (j) How often are pieces assessed for conservation/maintenance/restorative works?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 August 2018
Responded by
Minister for Culture and the Arts
Response time
2 days
(a) The total number of works of art in the State Art Collection is 17 842, as at 30 June 2018.
(b) The current value of the collection is $299 185 000.
(c) AGWA does not publicly provide values for individual works in the Collection as this would flag high value works and potentially make them targets for theft or subject to other risks. AGWA does not report publicly on the insurance values of loaned works for the same reason. This is standard practice in public art museums. Any public release of current valuations might affect AGWA insurance cover.
Also, public disclosure of prices recently paid for works is treated as commercially sensitive. Where AGWA has benefited from a discounted price from a dealer or artist this preferential pricing might affect the market price of such works if it was known. AGWA is particularly sensitive to the impact this may have on the WA arts sector and contemporary artists.
If there is a specific artwork the Member would like to query it will be considered.
(d) In the year 2013-14, 159 works of art were added to the State Art Collection.
In the year 2014-15, 116 works of art were added to the State Art Collection.
In the year 2015-16, 143 works of art were added to the State Art Collection.
In the year 2016-17, 222 works of art were added to the State Art Collection.
In the year 2017-18, 117 works of art were added to the State Art Collection.
(e) No works of art have been removed from the State Art Collection in any of the past five years.
(f)(i-ii) Nil.
(g) Works of art are added to the collection in accordance with the Gallery’s acquisition policy, available on the Art Gallery of Western Australia’s website.
(h) Works of art are removed from the collection in accordance with the gallery’s deaccession policy and procedures:
AGWA may seek Board approval for the de-accessioning of any work in the State Art Collection where:
- the significance or aesthetic merits is below the general level of the Collection;
- it lowers the overall level of quality or representation of an artist or any area of the Collection;
- a superior example is available for acquisition;
- is duplicated in the Collection and duplication is not required;
- has been found to have been falsely documented, described or attributed, or to be a forgery;
- has deteriorated to such an extent that it is no longer recognisable as a work of art and is beyond restoration to an acceptable standard;
- presents a risk to staff, the public or to other works;
- is no longer representative of the Collection, as characterised in the Gallery’s Acquisition Policy at the time of disposal.
(i) There are currently 9 paintings in the collection identified as “Unstable-requires immediate attention.”
(i) See answer to (c)
(j) Works of art in the state art collection are assessed by a conservator on acquisition, when requested for exhibition or loan, and when possible damage is identified by another staff member in the performance of their duties.
(b) The current value of the collection is $299 185 000.
(c) AGWA does not publicly provide values for individual works in the Collection as this would flag high value works and potentially make them targets for theft or subject to other risks. AGWA does not report publicly on the insurance values of loaned works for the same reason. This is standard practice in public art museums. Any public release of current valuations might affect AGWA insurance cover.
Also, public disclosure of prices recently paid for works is treated as commercially sensitive. Where AGWA has benefited from a discounted price from a dealer or artist this preferential pricing might affect the market price of such works if it was known. AGWA is particularly sensitive to the impact this may have on the WA arts sector and contemporary artists.
If there is a specific artwork the Member would like to query it will be considered.
(d) In the year 2013-14, 159 works of art were added to the State Art Collection.
In the year 2014-15, 116 works of art were added to the State Art Collection.
In the year 2015-16, 143 works of art were added to the State Art Collection.
In the year 2016-17, 222 works of art were added to the State Art Collection.
In the year 2017-18, 117 works of art were added to the State Art Collection.
(e) No works of art have been removed from the State Art Collection in any of the past five years.
(f)(i-ii) Nil.
(g) Works of art are added to the collection in accordance with the Gallery’s acquisition policy, available on the Art Gallery of Western Australia’s website.
(h) Works of art are removed from the collection in accordance with the gallery’s deaccession policy and procedures:
AGWA may seek Board approval for the de-accessioning of any work in the State Art Collection where:
- the significance or aesthetic merits is below the general level of the Collection;
- it lowers the overall level of quality or representation of an artist or any area of the Collection;
- a superior example is available for acquisition;
- is duplicated in the Collection and duplication is not required;
- has been found to have been falsely documented, described or attributed, or to be a forgery;
- has deteriorated to such an extent that it is no longer recognisable as a work of art and is beyond restoration to an acceptable standard;
- presents a risk to staff, the public or to other works;
- is no longer representative of the Collection, as characterised in the Gallery’s Acquisition Policy at the time of disposal.
(i) There are currently 9 paintings in the collection identified as “Unstable-requires immediate attention.”
(i) See answer to (c)
(j) Works of art in the state art collection are assessed by a conservator on acquisition, when requested for exhibition or loan, and when possible damage is identified by another staff member in the performance of their duties.
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