Edwina Corlette opened her eponymous gallery in 2008 at the height of the Global Financial Crisis, and has worked hard to maintain its reputation as one of Brisbane’s leading commercial, contemporary art spaces. This year is the gallery’s 10th Anniversary which will be celebrated with a full artist stable group exhibition in September.
Since opening, Edwina Corlette Gallery has shown a commitment to the long-term promotion of a select group of contemporary artists from Australia and the Asia Pacific region, whose practices employ a range of mediums including painting, printmaking, sculpture, installation and digital art.
Edwina graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney and since then has backed up her work with almost twenty years of commercial gallery experience. She has dealt in both blue chip contemporary artworks by some of Australia’s highest profile artists, as well as emerging artists in the early stages of their career. Her advice is often sought by corporate and private clients and industry professionals, on matters relating to the acquisition of premium contemporary works in the establishment of a well curated collection.
When asked what her favourite artistic style is, Edwina says she’s drawn to all kinds of different work. “I’m always drawn to work that speaks its own language. There are artists all over the world who are compelled to produce and are quietly ensconced in their studios, bravely telling their own stories. I look for work that is unique.”
Located on Brunswick Street in Brisbane, the Gallery offers a diverse annual curatorial program of solo and group exhibitions, artist talks, collaborations and offsite projects and is recognised as one of Brisbane’s leading contemporary art spaces showcasing emerging and mid-career artists. A testament to this is the Gallery’s placement of its artists’ work into institutional collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Artbank, the University of Queensland Art Museum, Queensland University of Technology Art Museum and the Parliament House Collection in Canberra as well as significant State and Regional Museums and corporate and private collections throughout Australia, Asia and the Middle East.
Young artists in the Edwina Corlette Gallery stable have gained national and international recognition by being awarded the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship administered by the Art Gallery of New South Wales. This is the highest award for an Australian artist under the age of 30.
And what does Edwina love most about her job? Dealing with people, both clients and artists. “Managing our stable of 28 artists on a daily basis is a privilege, and at times can be quite full-on. But we are like family and it is a joy to place their work into our client’s collections, be they museums and other institutions, corporate collections or private individuals. It’s the best job in the world.”
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