After the disheartening demise in the past year of Bungendore Woodworks Gallery and Beaver Galleries, news that a huge commercial art gallery is about to open in Fyshwick is bright news indeed, writes arts editor HELEN MUSA.

The voluminous space of the new Canberra Art Gallery, due to open with a public cocktail event on May 30, will be dedicated to contemporary art.

Directly facing Harvey Norman on Barrier Street and occupying the entire upstairs of the building is the gallery, the brainchild of art aficionado Keith Murphy, of Murphy Art, who has been gathering a sympathetic group of likeminded collectors around him, many of whom will offer their work for sale.

Murphy personally holds paintings by legendary artists including Rover Thomas, Clifford Possum and Emily Kame Kngwarreye, as well as recent work by young artists such as the King sisters, Sarrita and Tarisse and by Canberra talent such as Musonga Mbogo, who created 50 metres of artworks for the Canberra Hospital’s new Critical Services Building. 

An understanding of the artistic process, manufacturing and the commercial development industry, he believes, is the key to connecting, and to that end, wood artist Evan Dunstone, of Dunstone Design, will be joining in.

When I head up the escalator to view the new enterprise, I find myself surrounded by feverish activity as the spaces are put into action. 

Tradesmen are completing the fit-out, framers from the business Hang Ups, which is now part of the gallery, are already plying their trade and Murphy himself is seen lifting large canvases around, assisted by gallery manager, Oliver Golding.

Around the galleries, offices and crammed workshops there are priceless glass artefacts, paintings, large three-dimensional artworks, including a gorilla prototype for a sculptural series by Murphy himself and piles of arty rugs from a Brisbane company called Artistic Flooring. 

Golding takes time off to explain how plans have been in tow since mid-2024, when he was introduced to Murphy and was asked to take on the task.

“I’ve been going seven days a week ever since, trying to learn,” he says, “there are so many things.” 

A dyed-in-the wool Canberran and former student at Radford College, where his dad was long time head of English and is now acting assistant principal, the youthful Golding moved back to Canberra with his partner last year from Melbourne.

He’d been living there for nine years working in the music industry, where his graphic design and digital art skills were used to create many music album covers, locally and internationally. 

“I’m a bit of a visual chameleon,” Golding says. 

Once back here, he was gobsmacked by how much Canberra had changed. 

“New businesses are popping up everywhere, and tech start-ups. I think it’s a really positive thing to see,” he says. “People who haven’t left don’t realise how much Canberra is ready for big things. There’s an element of luxury appearing in people’s lives.”

A good example of how successful Canberra can be is in the present-day version of Braddon, which started out as an experiment, or trendy spaces such as Lil Mama’s Café and Studio on the Kingston Foreshore.

“We’ve spent the last six months sitting with Canberra artists,” he says. “We’d been hoping for a space like this, big enough to take everything from paintings to glasswork to furniture to a framing shop to an art workshop. Now we’ll have everything under one roof.”

“We can stretch and frameworks to exhibit. We also have a studio with a full kitchen and bathroom facilities where we hope to have artists in residence. We will strive to be a full service gallery.”

An obvious point is that everything is for sale, including – and he knows people will be shocked to hear this – even the odd Picasso. Yes, really.

Bluntly, Goldstein says, Canberra artists can do much better by staying at home to exhibit and sell, as art can be a nightmare to transport interstate.

And yes, there will be buyers. 

“People in Canberra love art and they have the money for art, you’d be surprised what they have hanging on their walls.”

He laments the fact that Canberra is full of super-talented people who move to Sydney and Melbourne, whereas they could stay at home and be creative.

“We need more commercial galleries and more industry facilities that will drive art to make it more profitable.”

“It could take time, it won’t be overnight,” he admits, and they’re all prepared for that, so as part of their ongoing promotion, they’ll hold quarterly events like the coming one and will have curated exhibitions. 

“There’s nothing intellectual about what Keith is trying to do,” he says, ”It’s a joint mission to have a space where people can enjoy the vibe and appreciate a place that simply showcases art.”

Canberra Art Gallery, 100 Barrier Street, Fyshwick.Opening May 30.