Collecting activities Patrick Corrigan (businessman)

1 collecting activities

1.1 books
1.2 lindsay collection
1.3 manuscripts
1.4 australian exhibition catalogues
1.5 bookplates
1.6 australian art , photography
1.7 indigenous art

collecting activities
books

australian art , books focus of corrigan s collecting interests, born shipping company s activities freighting bonython galleries , paul hamlyn books. corrigan developed friendships artists met in art & australia offices of hamlyn publisher kevin weldon. began acquire works of art in 1970s , late decade corrigan s collecting supported scholarly australian art book collection, began purchase of first book in 1974.

corrigan s art book collection sold james hardie industries in 1979, , remained consultant collection next 9 years. became core of donation state library of queensland in 1988, known james hardie library of australian fine arts , has been described australia s definitive fine arts collection . collection includes several important firsts in australian art publishing:

australian art, march 1888 – first australian art magazine
a consideration of art of ernest moffitt lionel lindsay, 1899 – first australian art book published
night fall in ti-tree violet teague, 1905 – first australian art book relief prints
the art of frederick mccubbin james macdonald, 1916 – first australian art book colour plates
the art of john kauffmann, 1919 – first australian art book on photography
margaret preston, recent paintings, 1929 – first portfolio of australian prints issued in limited, signed edition. artist’s own copy, material

lindsay collection

corrigan continues support state library of queensland donations library of australian fine art, along major donations of other material. notable donation collection of letters , manuscripts artist norman lindsay , family, valued in late 1990s @ on $1 million. lindsay collection of pat corrigan, donated 1992–1997, 1 of largest donations ever made individual australian library. collection includes published , unpublished material relating lindsay family and, importantly, significant material purchased harry chaplin s collection, friend , bibliographer of family.

manuscripts

alongside lindsay collection donation, corrigan collected manuscripts , other material , original works of art other artists, subsequently donated state library of queensland. these include:

pixie o harris – books, correspondence, original artworks, photographs, bookplates , ephemera
sidney nolan – correspondence, photographs , news clippings
correspondence australian artists including george lambert, j.j. hilder, julian ashton, margaret preston
correspondence bookplate collector john gartner
collection of material christian waller including bookplates, sketch book, gates of dawn original linocut , ten proof pages
two cartoons stained glass windows christian waller
twenty photographs of australian artists greg weight
the collection of forty-five private press books published queensberry hill press
three giuseppe romeo artist s books

in addition, corrigan has donated personal correspondence artists has supported on years, including many of assisted on twelve years patron of national association visual arts visual , craft artists grant scheme. [see section on philanthropy]

australian exhibition catalogues

corrigan has donated major collection of australian art exhibition catalogues, invitations , journals queensland art gallery of modern art. known patrick corrigan collection of australian exhibition catalogues, collection comprises on 800 items dated 1889–2008. highlights include:

a farewell exhibition of old , new works john passmore, terry clune galleries, sydney, 1960
roland wakelin & thea proctor, festival exhibition, armidale, 1964
exhibition of pictures mrs e. phillips fox, anthony hordern’s fine art gallery, sydney, 1913
exhibition of paintings , drawings of new guinea captain ivor hele, official war artist, australian war memorial, canberra, 1945
exhibition of paintings , drawings george w. lambert, fine art society’s gallery, melbourne, 1921

bookplates

an interest in art , books led corrigan collecting artist bookplates, acquired on twenty-year period between 1975 , 1995, following acquisition of collection of john lane mullins (1857–1939), avid enthusiast , supporter had commissioned first australian pictorial bookplate. in late 1990s acquired bookplate collection of late harry muir, founder of adelaide s wakefield press.

described comprehensive collection of bookplates australian artists ever amassed , pat corrigan collection of australian artists bookplates, comprising 5 thousand plates , related objects, including original artwork, transitional states of plate , original blocks, donated art gallery of new south wales in 1995, valued @ $750,000.

corrigan has made significant bookplate donations national gallery of australia (1983), powerhouse museum, sydney (2009), state libraries of queensland , victoria (which included original works of art , publications on bookplates), fryer library university of queensland (2002) , regional art galleries @ benalla (2004), bendigo (2001), castlemaine (1999), gold coast , lismore (2006), maitland , mackay (2005), orange , toowoomba, , new england (2001).

corrigan supported artists through bookplate commissions family. in context, introduced concept of ex libris many artists not otherwise have been represented in genre. corrigan s family commissions included bookplates by: earle backen (1927–2005), william rubery bennett (1893–1987), peter shearwin chapman (born 1937), john coburn (1925–2006), l. roy davies (1897–1979), brian dunlop (1938–2009), joel elenberg (1948–1980), allan allman gamble (1907–2001), bruce goold (born 1948), peter vernon hickey (born 1943), robert jacks (born 1943), peter kingston (born 1943), alun leach-jones (born 1937), david van nunen (born 1952), pixie o’harris (1903–1991), david lloyd preston (born 1948), lloyd frederic rees (1895–1988), irena justina sibley (1944–2009), blake lawry twigden (born 1945), brett whiteley (1939–1992) , james willem willbrant (born 1950).

in book on corrigan’s collections , commissions of bookplates, robert littlewood describes corrigan’s focus on ex libris bookplates having “significant impact in marketplace … on aesthetic direction of contemporary bookplates; , … influenced curatorial consciousness , activity in relation aspect of book arts”. latter, in particular, borne out in recent article published magazine of national library of australia, featured several of corrigan family’s bookplates. in 2013 exhibition of new australian bookplate society, corrigan credited amongst small , select group rekindling australia’s interest in art.

australian art , photography

corrigan has collected australian art around 1970 when company, corrigan s express, started freighting works of art , books. through connections made @ offices of hamlyn books publication art in australia, met artists such john coburn, brett whiteley, pro hart , neil taylor, , collectors such neil balnaves. first purchase paddington street (sydney) scene ric elliot. of approach collecting, corrigan has stated has bought works artists , sold them friends same price, spread word. corrigan deaccessions collection through donations public institutions. since 1986 has donated on 1 thousand works more forty-five cultural gift recipients nationwide.

artists works corrigan has collected include christian thompson, grace cossington smith, charles blackman, arthur boyd, alun leach-jones, colin lanceley, brett whiteley, lloyd rees, john olsen, rosalie gascoigne, john beard, ben quilty, noel mckenna, susan norrie, ken whisson, robert klippel, john coburn, janet laurence, clement meadmore, tim storrier, gordon bennett , michael zavros.

corrigan s photography collection includes works tracey moffatt, bill henson, christian thompson, max dupain, olive cotton, mervyn bishop, harold cazneaux, mark kimber, robert mcfarlane, selina ou, roger scott, caleb carter, geoff carter, greg weight, jon lewis, graham mccarter, lewis morley, david moore, robyn stacey, anne zahalka, patricia piccinini, simryn gill, deborah paauwe , polixeni papapetrou.

corrigan s enthusiasm collecting art paralleled enthusiasm sharing broader public. total collection estimated around 2 thousand works , @ time of publication of third book on indigenous art collection (2015) had on 6 hundred , fifty works on long-term loan multiple public institutions , universities in states has residences, including bond university, brisbane (qld), university of technology, university of nsw art & design, , sbs television in sydney (nsw), monash university , asialink in melbourne (vic) , australian national university (act).

corrigan s donations bond university s medical school being publicly showcased in corrigan walk, on-campus guided tour of selection of donations , 400-strong works in loan collection, led indigenous students.

at given time, corrigan has works pending and/or on loan public exhibitions around country.

public exhibitions dedicated works corrigan collection:

over fence: contemporary indigenous photography corrigan collection, university of qld art museum, qld (2016)
gifted artists: donations patrick corrigan am, national gallery of australia, act (2014/2015)
the art of giving: gifts collection patrick corrigan am, tweed regional art gallery, nsw (2014)
under skin: contemporary australian photography corrigan collection, rockhampton art gallery, qld (2013)
20th century beginnings: corrigan collection of aboriginal art, gold coast city gallery, qld , penrith regional gallery & lewers bequest, nsw (2012)
pat corrigan: collector, maitland regional art gallery, nsw (2011)
written darkness: selected photographs corrigan collection, university of technology, sydney, curated ross gibson (2004)
the enduring glance: 20th century australian photography corrigan collection, bendigo regional art gallery, vic , gold coast city gallery, qld (2002)
shoot! australian photography corrigan collection, gold coast city gallery, qld, curated brett adlington (2001)

since 1990s corrigan committed buying works living artists, enjoy support giving artist works themselves. since 2000, has concentrated on contemporary indigenous , non-indigenous art , photography, former being subject of 2 books on collection.

corrigan supporter of institutions fostering photography, , supporting sponsor of salon, open entry exhibition , competition organised melbourne s centre contemporary photography .

indigenous art

corrigan s indigenous art collection developed exclusively works painted 2000. extensive component of total collection, numbering around 1,000 works, has been subject of 3 books:

emily mcculloch childs , ross gibson, new beginnings: classic painting corrigan collection of 21st century aboriginal art, published mcculloch & mcculloch, vic, 2008. book documents corrigan s indigenous art collection, highlighting ninety-five works fifty-five artists, eighty-five per cent of painted post 2004, including many works ngaanyatjarra, pitjantjatjara , yankunytjatjara lands (npy) , work of many classic eastern, central , western desert painters.
jane raffan, power + colour: new painting corrigan collection of 21st century aboriginal art, published macmillan, vic, 2012. book showcases 1 hundred , twenty-nine works painted post 2005, seventy-six artists working across more twenty communities.
djon mundine, candida baker, gabori: corrigan collection of paintings sally gabori, published macmillan, vic, 2015.

select public exhibitions featuring works indigenous collection:

mirdidingkingathi juwarnda sally gabori: dulka warngiid – land of all, queensland art gallery of modern art, brisbane, 21 may - 28 august 2016
western australian indigenous art awards, art gallery of western australia, 4 july - 12 october 2015
country & western: landscape re-imagined 1988-2013, perc tucker regional gallery, 24 july - 20 september 2015
power + colour: pat corrigan indigenous collection, maitland regional gallery, 27 june - 27 september 2015
traversing borders: art kimberley, queensland university of technology, brisbane (2013/14)
under sun: kate challis raka award, ian potter museum of art, melbourne (2013)
we don t need map: martu experience of western desert, fremantle arts centre (2012/13)
contemporary australia: women, queensland art gallery of modern art, brisbane (2012)
paddy bedford, museum of contemporary art, sydney (2006/7)




^ stitz, charles (ed.), australian book collectors, bread street press, bendigo, 2010, p. 69
^ state library of queensland, james hardie library of australian fine arts ,[1] retrieved 18 january 2014
^ giese, diana, james hardie library of australian fine arts , national library of australian news, september 1993, p. 7
^ holland, robyn, “norman lindsay unplugged”, aussie post, december 1997, p. 44
^ state library of queensland, lindsay collection of pat corrigan , [2] retrieved 17 january 2014
^ stitz, charles (ed.), australian book collectors, bread street press, bendigo, 2010, p. 70
^ queensland art gallery of modern art, patrick corrigan collection of australian exhibition catalogues [3] retrieved 28 march 2014
^ australian dictionary of biography, john lane mullins , [4] retrieved 18 january 2014
^ tasker, michael, hunting , gathering … , giving , look, magazine of art gallery society of nsw, 2011, p. 32
^ art gallery of new south wales, archives @ art gallery of nsw , [5] retrieved 17 january 2014
^ littlewood, robert, bookplate artists , paragraph 2, bookplates pat corrigan & family, douglas stewart fine books, melbourne, 2014
^ littlewood, robert, philanthropy , paragraph 2, bookplates pat corrigan & family, douglas stewart fine books, melbourne, 2014
^ owen reeder, stephanie, “the intimate , idiosyncratic bookplate”, national library magazine, 22 september 2013
^ dr mark ferson, president, new australian bookplate society, sharp: society history of authorship, reading , publishing, bookplated old , new , [6] retrieved 18 january 2014
^ balnaves foundation, [7] retrieved 18 january 2014
^ harper, alison, pat corrigan, sophisticated beggar , art market report, no.12 winter 2004,pp. 28–30
^ sykes, jill, art of sharing , look, magazine of art gallery society of nsw, july 2004, p. 11
^ supporter patrick corrigan am, unsw art & design [8] retrieved 31 may 2105
^ bond university, corrigan walk [9] retrieved 11 july 2016
^ shaya laughlin, shaya, go walkabout gaze @ art , gold coast bulletin, 3 august 2013, p.17
^ on fence: contemporary indigenous photography corrigan collection, university of qld art museum, qld (2016), [10] retrieved 11 july 2016
^ gifted artists: donations patrick corrigan am, national gallery of australia, act (2014/2015), [11] retrieved 2 september 2014
^ art of giving: gifts collection patrick corrigan am, tweed regional art gallery, nsw (2014), [12] retrieved 19 june 2014
^ under skin: contemporary australian photography corrigan collection, rockhampton art gallery, qld (2013), [13] retrieved 17 january 2014
^ 20th century beginnings: corrigan collection of aboriginal art, gold coast city gallery, qld , penrith regional gallery & lewers bequest, nsw (2012), [14] retrieved 17 january 2014
^ pat corrigan: collector, maitland regional art gallery, nsw (2011),[15] retrieved 17 january 2014
^ written darkness: selected photographs corrigan collection, university of technology, sydney, 2004, [16] retrieved 17 january 2014
^ enduring glance: 20th century australian photography corrigan collection, bendigo regional art gallery, vic , gold coast city gallery, qld (2002), [17] retrieved 17 january 2014
^ harper, alison, pat corrigan, sophisticated beggar , art market report, no.12 winter 2004, p. 29
^ centre contemporary photography [18], retrieved 25 may 2015
^ mcculloch childs, emily , gibson, ross, new beginnings: classic painting corrigan collection of 21st century aboriginal art, mcculloch & mcculloch, vic, 2008, [19] retrieved 18 january 2014
^ raffan, jane, power + colour: new painting corrigan collection of 21st century aboriginal art, macmillan, vic, 2012, [20] retrieved 17 january 2014
^ mundine, djon , baker, candida, gabori: corrigan collection of paintings sally gabori, macmillan, vic, 2015, [21] retrieved 26 may 2015
^ mirdidingkingathi juwarnda sally gabori: dulka warngiid – land of all, queensland art gallery, [22] retrieved 11 july 2016
^ western australian indigenous art awards 2015, art gallery of western australia, [23] retrieved 26 may 2015
^ maitland regional gallery,[24] retrieved 25 may 2015
^ traversing borders: art kimberley, queensland university of technology, brisbane (2013/14), [25] retrieved 18 january 2014
^ under sun: kate challis raka award, ian potter museum of art, melbourne (2013), [26] retrieved 18 january 2014
^ don’t need map: martu experience of western desert, fremantle arts centre (2012/13), [27] , exhibition website, [28] retrieved 18 january 2014
^ contemporary australia: women, queensland art gallery modern art, brisbane (2012), [29] retrieved 17 january 2014
^ paddy bedford, museum of contemporary art, sydney (2006/7), see stephens, tony, millionaire believer in two-way , sydney morning herald, 19 january 2007, [30] retrieved 18 january 2014