Portrait of a Collection: TarraWarra Museum of Art

Portrait of a Collection: TarraWarra Museum of Art showcases one of Australia's finest collections of art from the 1930s to the present day, held at the TarraWarra Museum of Art in the Yarra Valley. This esteemed collection was established through the generous donation of its founding patrons, the late Marc Besen AC and Eva Besen AO, and encompasses three prevailing themes: landscape, the solitary figure, and abstraction.

Marc Besen AC once expressed his passion for art by stating, "I wanted to get to know a lot of artists to find out what motivated them, why they did what they did and how they did it. I found it very fascinating. We had long discussions, particularly with some of them, people like Leonard French, Jan Senbergs, Fred Williams, and Albert Tucker."

The collection includes works by numerous influential artists such as John Brack, William Dobell, Russell Drysdale, Rosalie Gascoigne, John Olsen, Patricia Piccinini, Yhonnie Scarce, Jeffrey Smart, and Judy Watson. These artists have played a crucial role in shaping the development of modern and contemporary art in Australia.

This richly illustrated book provides contemporary interpretative views on Australian art history since the 1930s, highlighting the ongoing relevance of the collection today.

In 2025, the Eva and Marc Besen Centre, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects, will open to offer visible access to over 300 stored artworks from the collection. This publication offers a unique opportunity to explore and delve into key works from the collection in depth.