Inspired choice

The new artistic director of the Monash University Museum of Art was inspired by artworks he first encountered as a Monash student. DAVID BRUCE reports.

As an undergraduate student at the Clayton campus, Max Delany would often stop to admire the artwork on the walls of the Menzies building. Years later, he was thrilled to stumble upon the same works in major national exhibitions and publications in Australia, and overseas.

"I have been inspired by many things that I encountered at Monash as a student, including a number of really important, landmark exhibitions and works of art that have continued to be influential in my life," Mr Delany said.

In March this year, Mr Delany (BA 1986, MA 2002) became artistic director of the Monash University Museum of Art. The museum is home to the Monash Collection, a body of work containing more than 1200 works of contemporary Australian art by over 330 artists.

New vision: Mr Max Delany believes universities should be "dynamic, provocative places". Photo: Greg Ford

Mr Delany's appointment will drive a new vision for the visual arts at Monash, drawing upon 40 years of tradition in collecting, developing exhibitions, staff, student and public engagement, artists' programs and partnerships with like-minded organisations. While continuing with these successful programs, Mr Delany's challenge will be to define new and broader roles for the museum, both on campus and in the wider community.

The former student has a distinguished record in the visual arts. Most recently, he was director of Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces in Melbourne, and prior to that he was curator at the Heide Museum of Modern Art in Heidelberg.

Mr Delany graduated from Monash in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in art history and film theory. He returned a decade later to complete a Master of Arts in Australian art/museum studies and cultural policy.

"I am really looking forward to working with staff and students, as well as the artistic and broader communities. I think universities should be dynamic, provocative places, and I am really keen to develop programs that engage audiences on a whole range of levels," he said.

The Monash Collection has developed an enviable reputation, both in Australia and internationally, for its unique focus on contemporary Australian art. This niche allows it to be both comprehensive and ambitious.

"One of the distinguishing features of the collection is that the works have been acquired from artists as they make them. The collection has developed contemporaneously with the leading young artists in Australia and, almost without exception, the artists are represented by their best works. The focus on the past 40 years parallels the history of the university, and the history of what we understand as contemporary art - they are both of the same generation," he said.

"This is a collection that is contributing to culture as it develops - the culture of the university, the culture of the visual arts and the broader national culture. By collecting the works of artists as they produce them, by developing exhibitions, publishing, interpreting and disseminating ideas on contemporary art both in Australia and internationally, the university plays a proactive role by inspiring audiences and developing our culture, knowledge and participation."

Chairman of the museum committee and dean of the Faculty of Art and Design Professor John Redmond welcomed the arrival of Mr Delany.

"Monash is fortunate to have someone of the calibre and experience of Max Delany to drive its vision for the visual arts. I am confident that he will make a strong contribution to Monash's reputation of pre-eminence in the arts field."

Action

For more information, visit the Monash University visual arts program website.