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New exhibition on Australian artist and NextSense bequestor Frank Cullen

Macquarie University Library is holding a free exhibition of artworks by Australian artist and philanthropist Frank Cullen AO as part of a collection bequeathed to NextSense in his Will.
People standing in indoor exhibition space looking at Frank Cullen's artworks. There is a large portrait in the foreground.
  • Vision
  • Hearing

In addition to his artworks, Frank Cullen AO (1926-2010) donated more than $900,000 to us over his lifetime to support people with hearing or vision loss.

We recently opened the doors to our new centre for innovation at Macquarie University after more than 60 years at North Rocks, and loaned the artworks to the University's art gallery. A team of third-year Arts students undertaking the Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) program then set about curating and staging an exhibition of the collection, which ranges from landscapes to portraits in a range of styles referencing cubism, surrealism and painter Hans Heysen.

Professor Greg Leigh, Director of NextSense Institute, was involved in the preservation of heritage and historic artefacts that were held by us at North Rocks for more than six decades, including Frank's collection.

I commend the work done by the Macquarie University students in bringing the works of this remarkable artist—and generous philanthropist—to the fore. We were very grateful to have been gifted these works and for the opportunity to share them with the wider community through our relationship with the University.

Now that we are located on campus, we look forward to further collaborations with our partners at Macquarie University and ongoing engagement with the broader community.

The students involved, including Jennifer Notohamiprodjo, put significant effort into researching Frank, staging the exhibition, and creating a companion book about him.

What some perceive to be “mundane,” Frank Cullen saw the beauty of day-to-day life, capturing these interactions in sketches and oil paintings in a variety of styles.

Although aspects of Frank Cullen’s life still remain a mystery, uncovering little fragments which can hopefully act as a springboard for future research was incredibly rewarding.

— Jennifer, student, Macquarie University

The 'Frank Cullen, a lost Australian odyssey' exhibition is being held at the Macquarie University Library exhibition space at 16 Macquarie Walk, Macquarie University.

The exhibition is free and open to the public from 8:00 am-8:00 pm from Monday to Friday and 1:00 pm-5:00 pm on Saturdays until Wednesday 10 July 2024.

Interested in leaving a lasting legacy?

Find out more about leaving a gift to NextSense in your Will.