FOUND!
NGV uncovers two Charles Blackman paintings

 

The National Gallery of Victoria has announced that two of the four missing Charles Blackman paintings from the Alice in Wonderland series have been found and will be on loan to the NGV for its forthcoming exhibition, Charles Blackman: Alice in Wonderland.

The paintings, titled Alice’s Journey and Drink Me, were discovered in Western Australia and Queensland respectively, where both were privately owned.

This means that the NGV now has 44 of the 46 in the Alice in Wonderland series and again, are appealing to everyone to help them in this quest to uncover the final two paintings which will allow the Gallery to exhibit the full series for the very first time.

One of the owners, who wishes to remain anonymous, was alerted by media coverage of the NGV’s appeal to Australians far and wide to come forward with any information on four Charles Blackman paintings that have not been seen in public for many years. The painting has been in the owner’s private collection since the 1970’s.

The four paintings were all created between 1956 and 1957 and are part of Blackman’s Alice in Wonderland series. Very few paintings in the series are held in public Galleries and all have become very sought after in recent decades. It is believed the works are owned by private collectors around Australia.

The two remaining works the NGV is searching for are titled Curiouser and curiouser (1956) and Alice among the trees (1956). Three of the four paintings have not been seen publicly for approximately 25 years.

The discovery of Alice’s Journey is particularly exciting, as it is the largest of the four works, measuring almost three metres in length. Completed in 1957, it is also one the most striking and represents a culmination of the series

Those with any information on the paintings should call the NGV switchboard on (03) 8620 2222 or email enquiries@ngv.vic.gov.au

Charles Blackman: Alice in Wonderland will be on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia from 11 August 2006. Admission fees will apply.