CULTURAL HERITAGE

‘Montsalvat is of state and national cultural significance. The complex as a whole is unique in Australia as a community of buildings, both in terms of planning and in terms of the range of building types, styles and uses. The activities and interests of the Montsalvat community are of social, historical and artistic significance at a state level.’

(Raworth B, 2001 ‘Montsalvat Conservation and Management Plan’)

This page will be developed as information becomes available to form a record of Montsalvat's cultural heritage.

 PERMANENT ART & ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Established in 1934, Montsalvat is Australia’s oldest continuous artist colony. The Montsalvat art and archive collection contains over 2,000 artworks comprising of a variety of media including paintings, works on paper, sculpture and jewellery.

Many of the founding members of the Montsalvat colony contributed works to the collection, with Justus Jorgensen’s oeuvre dating from the 1920s to 1975 being the most prominent. Other artists include Myra, Helen and Sonia Skipper, Helen Lempriere and Lesley Sinclair.

In addition to paintings, there are numerous three-dimensional works, most of which were crafted by Matcham Skipper. Skipper, like his sisters, was an artist who worked in many different mediums, including but not limited to jewellery, sculpture and metalwork. Many of Matcham and Sonia Skipper’s sculptures can be found around the grounds and on the facades of Montsalvat’s historic buildings. 

Email inquiries to montsalvat@montsalvat.com.au