18/9/01
Culture and the Arts Minister Sheila McHale said the exhibition attendance figure for Monet & Japan, which closed on Sunday, has set a new record for the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
A total of 173,892 people from Perth, regional WA, interstate and even international destinations streamed into the gallery to experience the beauty of 32 of Claude Monet's Impressionist masterpieces accompanied by more than 75 Japanese woodblock prints, scrolls and screens.
The daily average attendance during the show's 10-week run in Perth was 2,415 visitors. This has surpassed the daily average for the exhibition's sole other venue, the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra which had an average of 2,397 people a day.
"This is an exceptional result considering Eastern State audiences from Melbourne and Sydney significantly contributed to the National Gallery's figures," Ms McHale said.
"The previous attendance record for the Art Gallery of WA was 126,736 set in 1986 with the Golden Summers exhibition featuring Australian artists of the Heidelberg School including Tom Roberts and Frederick McCubbin.
"At the opening of Monet & Japan, Alan Dodge, Director of the Art Gallery of WA, and I challenged the people of Perth to support this exhibition.
"The audience responded to this challenge and in doing so set a new attendance record for the gallery."
Responding to public demand, the Art Gallery of WA extended its opening hours for the final weekend to midnight on Saturday night and till 8pm on Sunday.
The overwhelming support shown for Monet & Japan ensures the Art Gallery of WA can bring future exhibitions of this calibre to Perth.
On October 4 yet another coup for Perth debuts at the Art Gallery. Rodin: A Magnificent Obsession features more than 75 bronze sculptures from Auguste Rodin, who was hailed as the best sculptor since Michaelangelo and is the creator of famous work 'The Thinker'.
Media contact: Priscilla Fouracres on 9213 6900
