Monash Bulletin - 4 September 2007

New Director for MGA

Gallery Director, Jason Smith, yesterday took over the reins of the Monash Gallery of Art (MGA) with the goal of developing a range of exhibitions from exciting and influential Australian and international artists.

"The MGA has a prominent position on the network of public galleries in Victoria and the quality of the collection is excellent. As incoming Director, the bonus for me is the enormous potential for the exhibitions and acquisitions programs, the highly-skilled and creative MGA team and the strong community support," he said.

Born in Melbourne and raised in Sydney and Canberra, as a young man he had ambitions to be an artist, completing an undergraduate degree at the Canberra School of Art.

"I think I first developed an interest in art as a six or seven year old. It was the time of 'paint-by-numbers' and I can still smell the oil paint. My decision to go to art school was influenced by visiting the studios of the eminent Australian painters Mandy Martin and Robert Boynes, who lived in Canberra and had their cars filled at the service station where I worked during high school," he said.

Mr Smith said former MGA Director, Jane Scott, who has been appointed to Washington DC as a Cultural Attaché to the Australian Embassy, had built an excellent collection and an extraordinary educational resource.

"I think the future development of the collection will focus on the works of the best young, emerging photographers, with an appropriate balance of expanding our holdings of senior practitioners," he said.

The MGA is located at 860 Ferntree Gully Road, Wheelers Hill. Phone 9562 1569. www.mga.org.au

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Published: 3 September 2007

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