Upcoming exhibitions
Exhibitions are primarily held at the Deakin University Art Gallery, Melbourne Burwood Campus and at Deakin University gallery spaces across our campuses. Please click on the below link to see our upcoming exhibitions.
Past exhibitions
Please click on the below link to find a selection of past exhibitions, including immersive virtual tours.
Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award
29 August - 11 October
Image: 2023 Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award installation view, Deakin University Art Gallery, August 2023, image © copyright and courtesy of the artists, photo Simon Peter Fox.
The Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award was established in 2009 and is organised by the Art Collection and Galleries Unit at Deakin University, Victoria. The award celebrates sculptures from artists around Australia, culminating in an exhibition of finalists' work held in August to October each year at the Deakin University Art Gallery.
A panel, who changes composition each year, shortlist around 40 entries as finalists from an average of 280 entries that are received annually. The same panel then chooses a winner and a highly commended. The winning work goes into the Deakin University Art collection.
The finalist exhibition is held for a period of 6-8 weeks at the Deakin University Art Gallery on Deakin’s Melbourne Burwood campus. At the end of the exhibition, a People’s Choice winner is determined by vote from exhibition visitors and the winning artist is awarded a non-acquisitive cash prize.
Supported by the Community Bank at Deakin University
Virtual tour artwork labels
2024 Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award, artworks left to right on gallery walls, then middle to end.
Sam Ward, Relinquished, stoneware ceramic
Ileigh Hellier, Growth, shells, hair, ribbon, charcoal, glue, Courtesy of Backwoods Gallery
Chi Ling Tabart, Landslide, Huon pine, Radiata pine, Baltic redwood and acrylic
Rox De Luca, Saved, pale blue bundle, 2024, found plastics, wire
Lori Pensini, Empty, Lesser Bottlebrush (Callistemon phoeniceus) nut & seed, jarrah bark, fine bone china, stainless steel, kangaroo hide, Courtesy of Gallerysmith
Michael Doolan, TALL TALE # 2, (CALLER), 2024, ceramic, nylon and auto enamel, Courtesy of Bett Gallery, Hobart
Nuha Saad, Zig Zag Chroma II, acrylic on wood, Courtesy of James Makin Gallery
Ian Munday, Hypnagogia, polyurethane casting resin, found marble clock case, stainless steel, wood, epoxy resin, CA resin, epoxy pigment
Di Ellis, Shaggin Wagon, vintage fabric, embroidery thread, polyester stiffener, balsa wood, found wheels, glue, black paint
Kendal Murray, Air, Share, Questionnaire, mixed media assemblage, Courtesy of Flinders Lane Gallery
Carmel Wallace, SHE/HER, woollen blanket, buttons, crochet cotton, thread, Courtesy of QDOS
SLIPPAGE, VESSELS THAT LEAK FROM THE TOP #4, ‘Roundup’ altered glazed stoneware, archival pigment print, Courtesy of This Is No Fantasy
Shin-I (Juliet) Tang, My Heritage, porcelain, cobalt underglaze and bamboo
Marlize Myburgh, Echinoid, stoneware and porcelain clay glazed as well as some acrylic painting
Jennifer Kemarre Martiniello OAM, Painted Desert Rainbow Serpent Egg #4, hot blown glass, powders, frits
Wona Bae and Charlie Lawler, EC.GC.016, charred timber, beeswax
Louise Blyton, The Daydream, acrylic, linen, plywood, lead
Kylie Harries, Un/broken, eggshells, volcanic rock
Isobel Waters, Do you think i'm pretty now?, stoneware, horsehair, nails, epoxy
Kenny Pittock, Hold Your Horses, bronze, Courtesy of MARS Gallery and Olsen Gallery
Tracey Lamb, Small Homes, steel, enamel paint, felt under base
Meagan Streader, Honeycomb (tower), acrylic, LED neon flex, driver, Courtesy of MARS Gallery
Matiu Bush, Wiri Vessel, ceramic (Stoneware), acrylic, silicon, pigment
Hannah McKellar, Road to Nowhere: Travelog Maps, linen, cotton thread, wire
Ron Robertson-Swann, Brancusi on the Move, acrylic on mixed media (in perspex box), Courtesy of Australian Galleries and Charles Nodrum Gallery
Janet Fieldhouse, Little Fish Charm, buff raku trachyte, raffia, Courtesy of Vivien Anderson Gallery
Sherna Terperson, Masking, black masking tape
Elvis Richardson, An Unsolved Study "The Funeral", 2024, glazed ceramics, Courtesy of Void_Melbourne
Augustine Dall'Ava, Collaborations and Interventions with Nature No 16, 2024, natural and painted wood, redgum, stones, Courtesy of Lennox Street Gallery
Troy Emery, Orbital Motion, cotton rope, polyurethane, polystyrene, epoxy, adhesive, screws, pins, Courtesy of Michael Reid Sydney
Ayako Saito, Enigma, steel, painted, Courtesy of Australian Galleries
Mark Booth, CODIFICATION No1 (neon camo), plastic, vinyl wrap, acrylic paint, polyurethane
Mark Threadgold, Metacognition X, oil and enamel on folded aluminium, Courtesy of James Makin Gallery
Brad Gunn, Eggplant is For Everyone, resin, synthetic fibres
Belem Lett, Wormhole, clear coat, acrylic, gesso, wood putty, screws, wood glue, pine, Courtesy of Edwina Corlette Gallery (Brisbane), James Makin Gallery (Melbourne)
Claire O'Halloran, "Just a minute", 2024, wool tops, wire, wood
Fiona Mcdonald, the tangibility of time & memory – inception, porcelain, hand dyed felted wool, artist’s own vintage woollen blankets, stainless steel, silver
Jo Lane, Because, Hydrostone, colour pencil and a 'nang', Courtesy of Kelli Lundberg
Exhibition catalogues
Interactive catalogues for our exhibitions are available via Issuu.
Deakin University Art Gallery Playlist
Education and public programs
Public programs at Deakin University Art Gallery include floor talks, panel presentations and seminars. We also offer education programs for schools and community groups that feature guided exhibition and collection tours, behind-the-scenes presentations and hands-on workshops.
School programs
The Deakin University Art Gallery offers a range of vibrant and diverse education programs based on current exhibitions and the art collection. All programs are free of charge and can be tailored to suit your schools' needs and/or interests.
Learn more about our school programs
Community group programs and guided tours
We offer a range of different options for community groups, including outreach programs based around the Deakin University Art Collection. Contact us with your requirements and we can tailor a session for your group or arrange a guided tour.
Self-guided tours
For self-guided tours, download one of our free art collection (Deakin Downtown and Warrnambool Campus) or Sculpture Walk guides (Melbourne Burwood, Geelong Waurn Ponds and Geelong Waterfront campuses).
Deakin Downtown art collection guide
Warrnambool Campus art collection guide
Melbourne Burwood Campus Sculpture Walk guide
Stay up to date
If you would like to be added to our mailing list, please register you details.
Deakin University Art Collection
Marlene Gilson, Possession Captain Cook First Fleet 2017, synthetic polymer paint on linen, Purchase 2017, Deakin University Art Collection. Image © and courtesy of the artist and Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney.
The Deakin University Art Collection is a unique and treasured collection of contemporary artworks by some of Australia’s leading artists. The collection reflects the cultural aspirations of Deakin and plays a significant role in creating a welcoming environment on campus, enriching the experience of university life and contributing to philosophical inquiry and creative research.
The collection first came together with artworks from Deakin University’s antecedent institutional collections including the Victoria State Teachers College, Prahran College of Advanced Education, the Douglas McDonnell and others. It now consists of approximately 2400 artworks by over 900 artists.
The collection is comprised of examples of innovative creative practices including achievements in painting, sculpture, print, drawing, ceramic, photography, textiles and includes one of Australia’s largest holdings of artist books. Importantly, it is home to cherished artworks by First Peoples, including many artists that are based in South-Eastern Australia. It also houses artworks by our past and present students and staff, telling a special story of the Deakin University origins and its community.
A selection of important works in the collection are by artists such as: Hoda Afshar, George Baldessin, Gordon Bennett, Uncle Jim Berg, Ronald Bull, Arthur Boyd, Stephen Bram, Maree Clarke, John Cato, Vicki Couzens, Mikala Dwyer, Fayen d’Evie, Robert Fielding, Emily Floyd, Sally Gabori, Simyrn Gill, Aunty Marlene Gilson, Elizabeth Gower, Inge King, Robert Klippel, Hayley Millar-Baker, Sidney Nolan, Lin Onus, John Olsen, Robert Rooney, Mike Parr, Kerrie Poliness, The Ken Sisters, Jenny Watson, Ron Robertson-Swann and Fred Williams among many others.
Maintaining and developing this collection demonstrates the University’s ongoing interest in the study, patronage and advancement of the visual arts in Australia. Acquisition highlights can often be found through our social media.
We are always happy to consider donations from artists and collectors as direct donations or through the Australian Government Cultural Gifts Program, please email us for more information. If you have a research or collection enquiry, please contact the Art Gallery team.
Management of personal information
Deakin University manages personal information it holds, including requests by individuals for access to their personal information, in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic). Individuals have a right to gain access to their personal information held by the University. Further information about privacy at Deakin may be obtained by contacting the Privacy Officer at (03) 5227 8524 or at privacy@deakin.edu.au.
Personal information of artists
This statement outlines how Deakin University handles the personal information of artists whose works are held by the Deakin University Art Gallery.
Purpose of collection
Deakin University collects an artist's personal information for the primary purposes of acquisition of an artwork, management and maintenance of the University's art collection and for the purposes of exhibiting, interpreting and promoting the artwork, the artist and the Art Collection.
Means of collection
Deakin may collect personal information from the artist directly during interactions with Deakin staff, most often staff of the Art Collection and Galleries Unit. Deakin may also collect personal information from third parties (e.g., artists' agents, owners of artwork, other gallery owners) or publicly available print or online resources.
Use and disclosure
An artist's personal information may be used by the Art Collection and Galleries Unit in preparation of interpretive materials, catalogues and promotional materials, all of which may be in print or online format. For these purposes, an artist's personal information may also be used by other operational units of Deakin (e.g., its Marketing Division)
Contact details
Parking
Parking is available at Melbourne Burwood Campus. You can buy hourly or daily parking permits by using the CellOPass parking app. Download the CellOPass parking app in the Google Play store or the App Store.
Find out more about parking at Deakin
Visit us
The gallery is open Monday–Friday, 10am – 4pm, during scheduled exhibition dates (closed public holidays).
Cost: Free entry
Deakin University Art Gallery
Building FA
Melbourne Burwood Campus
221 Burwood Highway
Burwood, VIC 3125
To find the gallery on campus, enter Deakin University via Entrance 1, (Holland Avenue), off Burwood Highway. Continue straight for 500 metres. As you pass the overhead foot bridge, the gallery is on your right. If arriving by car, you can park in any of the bays on the left of Holland Avenue. Alternatively, follow Holland Avenue all the way around to the second parking entrance.
Footnotes
Banner image: Adrian Mauriks, ‘Strange Fruit 2010’, painted epoxy resin, 235 x 700 x 200cm. Deakin University Art Collection. Gift of the artist, 2020. Photography Simon Peter Fox. Image courtesy the artist estate. Pictured in situ at the Melbourne Campus at Burwood.
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Contact us
Contact us with any enquiries. Or register to our mailing list and follow the Deakin Art Gallery on social media to stay up to date with the latest news.
+61 3 9244 5344
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