John Brack masterpieces reunited at the NGV

• The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

For the first time in two decades John Brack’s iconic Melbourne paintings, The bar and Collins St., 5p.m., will hang together at the National Gallery of Victoria. The works were unveiled today by Dr Gerard Vaughan, Director, NGV.

The bar is on loan to the NGV for nine months while its owner, David Walsh, builds the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania where it will be on permanent display.

Born in Melbourne, John Brack (1920-1999) is considered one of Australia’s greatest twentieth century painters. Brack painted images which explored social rituals and the realities of everyday life. His works of urban and suburban Melbourne painted during the 1950s drew attention for their novelty of subject and recognisable references.

The bar was painted in 1954 and was Brack’s largest oil painting to date. Considered radical for its time, The bar presents a stark view of Melbourne suburbia, the infamous ‘six o’clock swill’ as patrons hurry to drink before early closing time. It is also an ironic take on Edouard Manet's important 1881 work, A Bar at the Folies-Bergere.

Collins St., 5p.m. was completed a year later in 1955 and purchased by the NGV in 1956. Like The bar, Collins St., 5p.m. exemplifies the style for which the Melbourne-based artist is renowned.

Dr Gerard Vaughan, Director, NGV said it was a major coup to have both paintings hanging together at the NGV.

“The bar has a strong connection to one of the NGV’s most prized Australian paintings, John Brack’s Collins St., 5p.m. We are thrilled to have two such outstanding and important works hanging together at the NGV. The bar was last on display at the NGV in 1987 as part of a major John Brack retrospective and I am delighted to welcome it back to our walls.”

“As many of you know, the NGV hoped to acquire The bar at auction in 2006, but was outbid by Mr Walsh. We congratulate him on this important acquisition and are grateful for his generosity in loaning us the painting, which will be enjoyed and admired by hundreds of thousands of visitors in the coming months.”

There are 19 works by John Brack in the NGV’s Collection. The bar will be on display at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Federation Square until June 2008.

For more information please contact:
Sue Coffey, (03) 8620 2346, 0417 558 511, sue.coffey@ngv.vic.gov.au
Erin Reeve, (03) 8620 2345, 0438 582 727, erin.reeve@ngv.vic.gov.au