MGA is one of Melbourne’s most significant art galleries. MGA holds a substantial collection of Australian photographs and operates an active exhibition program. It is the only public gallery in Australia committed exclusively to collecting Australian photographs.
MGA opened in 1990 and has since become one of Melbourne’s most important cultural facilities. MGA stages a broad range of engaging exhibitions and hosts major exhibitions from elsewhere. MGA’s focus is firmly on Australian photography; however, MGA exhibits other media in its splendid Harry Seidler-designed building.
The Collection
Specialising in Australian photography, MGA’s collection is one of the finest in the nation. It traces the early development of Australian photography and includes examples by many of the country’s most important twentieth-century photographers, including Max Dupain, David Moore, and Olive Cotton. MGA’s collection of contemporary photography is equally strong. It is broad in its scope, and includes substantial holdings of work by individual photographers such as Bill Henson, Tracey Moffatt and Anna Zahalka.
Together, the more than 1400 photographs in the collection tell the complex story of Australian photography and provide a rich cultural asset for the people of Monash and Melbourne more broadly.
Exhibitions
MGA mounts around 20 exhibitions a year across three gallery spaces. This constantly changing and diverse program ranges from exhibitions of historical and contemporary, local and international material. The Gallery also presents works from its dynamic collection to a national audience through touring exhibitions.
The Building
Designed by internationally renowned architect Harry Seidler, MGA is a fine example of contemporary Australian architecture. Seidler’s building combines modernist lines with organic elements that give the building a sculptural form. Offering stunning views of the Dandenong Ranges, Seidler’s building is located on a landmark site once occupied by an early homestead. The ground’s majestic pines, oak and fruit trees form a canopy for the MGA sculpture garden, which includes sculptures by Inge King, John Kelly and others.
