Betty Churcher
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Betty Churcher (born 11 July 1931 in Brisbane, Queensland) is best known as director of the National Gallery of Australia from 1990 to 1997. She was also a painter in her own right earlier in her life. She won a travelling scholarship to Europe and attended the London Royal College of Art receiving an ARCA in 1956. She received an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London in 1977.
Between 1972 and 1975 she was art critic for the Australian newspaper. She was the Dean of School of Art and Design, Phillip Institute of Technology, Victoria between 1982 and 1990, and director of the Art Gallery of Western Australia from 1987 to 1990. She was then appointed director of the Australian National Gallery. She has hosted several television shows in the 1990s and written several books, including The Art of War about war artists.
Her son, Peter Churcher, was Australia's official war artist in the War on Terrorism.
While director of the National Gallery, she was dubbed "Betty Blockbuster" because of her love of blockbuster exhibitions.
Churcher initiated the building of new galleries on the eastern side of the building, opened in March 1998, to house large-scale temporary exhibitions. She changed the name of the Gallery from the Australian National Gallery to its current title.
During her period the Gallery also purchased Golden Summer, Eaglemont by Arthur Streeton for $3.5 million. This was the last great Heidelberg School still in private hands.[1]
In 1996 a portrait of Betty Churcher painted by her son, Peter Churcher and titled Betty at Home was a finalist in the Archibald Prize. The prize is awarded for the "best portrait painting preferentially of some man or woman distinguished in Art, Letters, Science or Politics".[2]
[edit] Publications
Churcher has written a number of books on art including:
- Churcher, Betty (1973). Understanding Art. Adelaide: Rigby, 152. ISBN 0-85179-699-0.
- Churcher, Betty (2005). The Art of War. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 176. ISBN 0-522-85099-5.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Green, Pauleen (ed) (2003). Building the Collection. National Gallery of Australia, 174. ISBN 0-642-54202-3.
- ^ Archibald Prize 07. Art Gallery NSW. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
[edit] External links
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Churcher, Betty |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Australian art gallery director |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 11 July 1931 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| DATE OF DEATH | living person |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
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