MELBOURNE.- Gallerists Ursula Sullivan and Joanna Strumpf have this morning announced plans to expand their Sydney and Singapore operations with the opening of a Melbourne gallery, designed by multi-award-winning Melbourne architects Flack Studio.

The new 300sqm space in Collingwood, on the city’s coveted north-eastern fringe, will showcase works by Sullivan+Strumpf’s impressive stable of leading contemporary Australian and Asia Pacific artists - amongst them Lindy Lee, Polly Borland, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Tony Albert, Angela Tiatia, Alex Seton, and Darren Sylvester.

One of the only major Australian contemporary art galleries to open in both Sydney and Melbourne, the move builds on more than 20 years as an integral part of the national arts community, forging relationships as advocates and ambassadors for contemporary art within the arts and creative industries, and the philanthropic and business sectors.

Sullivan+Strumpf Melbourne will open in October 2022 with a major solo exhibition by Albert, Remark – a follow up to his sellout 2021 exhibition, Conversations with Margaret Preston.

In making the announcement this morning Sullivan and Strumpf said, “Melbourne is a wonderful arts community, and an internationally recognised art city, with a world-class creative culture and identity. We have always loved every minute of our time there and have long harboured a desire to be a more permanent part of the excitement. With new developments underway, such as the National Gallery of Victoria Contemporary Gallery, we felt that the timing was perfect.”

“We look forward to building on the valued relationships we have established in Melbourne over the years, to developing new ones, and to providing an exciting new platform for our artists, and contemporary art in Australia. Not to mention introducing Melbourne audiences to some of Australia and the Asia Pacific region’s most engaging contemporary artists, many of whom will be exhibiting there for the very first time.”

Founded in 2005 in Sydney, Sullivan+Strumpf quickly established itself as one of Australia and the Asia Pacific’s leading contemporary art galleries.

In 2016 they were the first Australian gallery to establish a permanent presence in Asia at Singapore’s Gillman Barracks. They have since pivoted to a more agile Singapore operation in response to COVID-19, continuing to present exhibitions and events and facilitating international opportunities, including recent exhibitions in Jakarta, Seoul and London.

With diverse, innovative, and progressive programming, currently comprising more than 25 live exhibitions each year, extensive public talks, and a recently re-ignited global art fair schedule, the gallery has helped foster and grow the careers of some of the most significant contemporary artists in Australia and Southeast Asia.

Their live program is supplemented by expertly crafted digital and printed content including curated digital exhibitions and a stunning bi-monthly magazine.

The new Melbourne gallery will similarly feature an exciting year-round program of exhibitions, talks and events.