The Idea of Art Building an International Contemporary Art Collection

Curator Anthony Bond began building a contemporary international art collection at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney in 1984. The collection now features many important artists, including Anselm Kiefer, Antony Gormley, Francis Bacon, Anish Kapoor, Mike Parr, Doris Salcedo and Janet Laurence. In The Idea of Art, Bond discusses the guiding philosophies that steered his formation of the gallery’s collection. Incorporating conversations with many high-profile contemporary artists, the book offers important insights into how recent innovations connect with the art of the past, and with human experience.

Anthony Bond OAM is a freelance writer and curator. Until 2013 he was Director Curatorial at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney where, since 1984, he was responsible for the gallery’s collection of international contemporary art. Among the many major exhibitions he has curated are Francis Bacon: Five decades (2012–13), Body (1997), Self portrait: Renaissance to contemporary (2005–06) and Anselm Kiefer: Aperiatur terra (2006–07). He was also curator of the inaugural Liverpool Biennial in 1999 and the 1992 Biennale of Sydney. His writing on art has been published widely in Australia and internationally.