The Heide Museum of Modern Art, also known as Heide, is an

art museum An art museum or art gallery is a building or space for the display of art, usually from the museum's own collection. It might be in public or private ownership and may be accessible to all or have restrictions in place. Although primarily co ...

in Bulleen, a suburb of

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...

, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1981, the museum houses

modern Modern may refer to: History *Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philosophy ...

and

contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic ...

across three distinct exhibition buildings and is set within sixteen acres of heritage-listed gardens and a sculpture park. The museum occupies the site of a former dairy farm owned by prominent arts benefactors

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

and Sunday Reed. After purchasing the farm in 1934, they named it Heide in reference to the

Heidelberg School The Heidelberg School was an Australian art movement of the late 19th century. It has latterly been described as Australian impressionism. Melbourne art critic Sidney Dickinson coined the term in an 1891 review of works by Arthur Streeton and ...

, an

impressionist Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passag ...

art movement that developed in nearby

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German: ') is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914, of which roughly a quarter consisted of students ...

in the 1880s. Heide became the gathering place for a collective of young modernist painters known as the Heide Circle, which included

Sidney Nolan Sir Sidney Robert Nolan (22 April 191728 November 1992) was one of Australia's leading artists of the 20th century. Working in a wide variety of mediums, his oeuvre is among the most diverse and prolific in all of modern art. He is best known ...

, John Perceval, Albert Tucker and Joy Hester, who often stayed in the Reeds' 19th-century farmhouse, now known as Heide I. Today they rank among Australia's best-known artists and are also considered leaders of the

Angry Penguins ''Angry Penguins'' was an art and literary journal founded in 1940 by surrealist poet Max Harris, at the age of 18. Originally based in Adelaide, the journal moved to Melbourne in 1942 once Harris joined the Heide Circle, a group of avant-garde ...

, a modernist art movement named after a cultural journal co-published by the Reeds and poet Max Harris. Heide's close relationship to this movement is evidenced in many of its displays. Between 1964 and 1967, the Reeds built a new residence, Heide II, now considered one of the finest examples of

modernist architecture Modern architecture, or modernist architecture, was an architectural movement or architectural style based upon new and innovative technologies of construction, particularly the use of glass, steel, and reinforced concrete; the idea that form ...

in Victoria. In 1980, after several years of negotiations, the Reeds sold Heide II, most of the adjoining property and significant works from their art collection to the

Victorian Government The Victoria State Government, also referred to as just the Victorian Government, is the state-level authority for Victoria, Australia. Like all state governments, it is formed by three independent branches: the executive, the judicial, and t ...

for the establishment of a public art museum and park. The museum has since expanded its collection through many individual gifts, and in keeping with the Reeds' original aim, continues to support young and emerging artists. In 1993, Heide III, a new purpose-built gallery building designed by Andrew Andersons, was added to the Heide complex. This building was extended when Heide underwent major redevelopments in 2005–06. Also during this period, the Sidney Myer Education Centre was built, Heide II and the surrounding gardens were restored, and new facilities were constructed.

History

Early history

The museum is situated on land originally used by indigenous peoples, a history evident in a distinguished scarred tree at the top of the property, called Yingabeal. In late colonial times through to the early twentieth century the site was a grazing property and dairy farm with a frontage on the Yarra River. The original farmhouse was built in the 1880s-1890s. From the nineteenth century on, the area was frequented by artists and writers who found the

Yarra River The Yarra River or historically, the Yarra Yarra River, ( Kulin languages: ''Berrern'', ''Birr-arrung'', ''Bay-ray-rung'', ''Birarang'', ''Birrarung'', and ''Wongete'') is a perennial river in south-central Victoria, Australia. The lower s ...

and surrounding hills east of Melbourne an ideal setting in which to work, exemplified in the formation of the

, Montsalvat in

Eltham Eltham ( ) is a district of southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is east-southeast of Charing Cross, and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. The three wards o ...

and various artist camps in locations such as Box Hill and Warrandyte. In 1934, the farm was purchased by

and Sunday Reed, passionate supporters and collectors of modern Australian art, who named the property Heide after the nearby town of

. After moving into the farmhouse in 1935, they established a unique private library, including modernist literature, international art books, journals and magazines. Heide became a focal point for progressive art and culture as the Reeds opened their home to like-minded individuals such as artists

, Albert Tucker, Joy Hester, John Perceval and Danila Vassilieff. Nolan, who lived at Heide intermittently for almost a decade, painted his celebrated Ned Kelly series in the dining room in 1946–47. In 1963, the Reeds commissioned Melbourne architect David McGlashan to design a new residence on the property, one that had a sense of mystery and romance, and was "a gallery to be lived in". Synthesising local and international design ideas, the light-filled home they called Heide II was constructed out of Mount Gambier limestone with a palette of minimal secondary materials and neutral colours. The Reeds moved into Heide II in 1967 and Sunday Reed established the second kitchen garden near the new house. .

Museum establishment

The Reeds returned to live in Heide I, the old farmhouse after selling Heide II, most of the adjoining property and a significant portion of their art collection (113 works) to the Victorian State Government in August 1980. The purchase was agreed to and formalised by the Minister for the Arts at the time, the Hon.

Norman Lacy Norman Henry Lacy (born 25 October 1941) is a former Australian politician, who was a Victorian Government Minister from May 1979 to April 1982 who grew up in Richmond, Victoria and three times represented his state at national under age basket ...

, who continued to provide the Government's on-going support for the creation of a public art gallery on the site, to be named 'Heide Park and Art Gallery'. The interior of Heide II was modified in preparation of it opening as a public art gallery in November 1981. Now Heide Museum of Modern Art operates as a non-profit company limited by guarantee, and on behalf of the Victorian Government, a Board of Directors is delegated as a Committee of Management. Dr Norman Wettenhall was appointed the first Chairman and the then Premier of Victoria, Sir Rupert Hamer was honoured as the inaugural Patron. Maudie Palmer AO was appointed the inaugural Director.

Recent history

The museum underwent major redevelopment in 2005–06 which included the installation of several sculptural and

installation art Installation art is an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called ...

pieces, landscaping and redesign of the gardens, construction of a new education centre & gallery space, extension of the Heide III building to incorporate works from the Barbara Tucker Gift and various other works. On 13 July 2006 the museum officially re-opened after its $3 million dollar renovation and extension. The new buildings were designed by O'Connor + Houle Architecture.

Buildings, features, and layout

Heide is situated on a former floodplain of the

in Bulleen. It is bordered to the north-east and east by the Yarra Valley Country Club, to the west and south by Banksia Park, and to the south-east by Templestowe Road. The site borders the Yarra River, at Fannings Bend, in its north-west corner. The museum itself comprises several detached buildings and surrounding gardens and parklands on the site, described in further detail below, all of which are used in various capacities as exhibition spaces.

Buildings and facilities

*Heide I - built c.1870, renovated 1934–35, 1954, 1980, restored 2001, 2010 :A former farmhouse, the building was purchased by the Reeds in 1934 and renovated in the French provincial style. It underwent various renovations in 1934–35, 1954 and 1980 and was restored in 2001 and in 2010. Currently it is dedicated to exhibitions and displays from the Heide Collection and Archive. *Heide II - commissioned by John and Sunday Reed 1963, designed 1964, constructed 1964–67 :Designed by Melbourne architect David McGlashan of McGlashan Everist, it was intended as "a gallery to be lived in" and served as the Reeds' residence between 1967 and 1980. The building is considered one of the best examples of

in Victoria and awarded the Royal Institute of Architects (Victorian Chapter) Bronze Medal - the highest award for residential architecture in the State - in 1968. It is currently used to display works from the Heide Collection and on occasion projects by contemporary artists. *Heide III - built 1993, extended 2005 :Originally designed by Andrew Andersons of Peddle Thorp Architects and later extended by O'Connor + Houle to include additional exhibition spaces, storage facilities and visitor amenities. It is the largest gallery wing of the museum including: the Central Galleries; the Albert & Barbara Tucker Gallery, the Kerry Gardner & Andrew Myer Project Gallery; the Tucker Study Centre; and the Heide Store. *Sidney Myer Education Centre - built 2005 :Designed by O’Connor + Houle Architecture, its purpose is expressed as "a dynamic learning and thinking space for teachers, students, and community groups." The centre accommodates diverse education and public programs based on the art, architecture and gardens of Heide. *Heide Cafe - redeveloped 2009 After a 19-month redevelopment program the cafe at reopened to the public on 24 November 2009. The $1.5 million redevelopment was designed by Chris Connell Design (CCD). Inspired by the award-winning architecture of Heide and its beautiful gardens, Situated in the former Heide II motor court, the café's glass pavilion seats 55 patrons inside and an outdoor area seats an additional 55 patrons.

Gardens and Sculpture Park

The sixteen acres of landscape at Heide have been developed over several decades in tandem with its art and architecture. When John and Sunday Reed purchased Heide in 1934, it was a neglected former dairy farm. They immediately set about reviving and extending the productive kitchen garden adjacent to the original farmhouse and initiated a major planting program, with a view to turning the property into a verdant parkland. Today, the cultivated landscape includes a sculpture park with over forty sculptures, several of the original gardens which are now heritage-listed, an Indigenous Remnant Conservation Zone and a diverse range of exotic trees, unusual roses, herbs, flowers and vegetables.

Access

*Heide I, II and III: Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00am–5:00pm *Heide Store (in Heide III): Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00am–5:00pm *Gardens & Sculpture Park – FREE

The Heide Collection

The core of the museum's collection was assembled over five decades by Heide founders John and Sunday Reed, who collected a broad range of art from the 1940s to the 1970s, both expressionist and abstract. The collection includes works by artists such as Moya Dyring,

, Albert Tucker, Joy Hester, John Perceval, Arthur Boyd,

Charles Blackman Charles Raymond Blackman (12 August 1928 – 20 August 2018) was an Australian painter, noted for the ''Schoolgirl, Avonsleigh'' and ''Alice in Wonderland'' series of the 1950s. He was a member of the Antipodeans, a group of Melbourne painte ...

, Peter Booth, Mike Brown, Richard Larter, Wolfgang Sievers.

Gallery

File:Rings of Saturn Inge King Heide.JPG, ''Rings of Saturn'' - Inge King File:Heide Park Sculpture.JPG File:Heide Gardens Sculpture.JPG File:Heide Museum Gardens Sculpture.JPG, ''The Running Man'' File:Heide Gardens Sculpture 1.JPG

References

External links

Heide Museum of Modern Art Website
{{Authority control Heide Circle Modern art museums Art museums and galleries in Melbourne Buildings and structures in the City of Manningham 1981 establishments in Australia