Commissions
The Tapestry Foundation Australia is a passionate advocate of public art and is proud to support the art of tapestry through enabling original commissions that enrich the spaces that house them.
Commissions, made directly or as collaborations, are a fundamental way we promote tapestry to a wide audience. We encourage the understanding of, and interaction with, tapestries through their far-reaching distribution and exposure.
Above: Bern Emmerichs Facing North 2012 (detail)
The Embassy Series
Since 2004, Tapestry Foundation Australia and its patrons have commissioned tapestries to put on permanent loan in Australian diplomatic buildings around the world. These tapestries showcase the art of indigenous Australian artists and the art of tapestry.
Patrons: Carillo Gantner, Baillieu and Sarah Myer, Ms. J. Baevski, Brian Loton, David Jones, Arnold Hancock, Gordon Darling and Reg Gregory. Location: Australian Embassy, Tokyo. Artist: Daisy Andrews. Title: Lumpu Lumpu Country 2004. © Daisy Andrews/Copyright Agency, 2022. Weavers: Louise King and Irja West. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.90 x 2.30m. Photo: Viki Petherbridge.
Patron: Hazel Dorothy McMahon Peat Charitable Trust. Location: Australian Embassy, Dublin. Artist: Patrick Mung Mung. Title: Ngarrgooroon 2010. © Patrick Mung Mung / Copyright Agency, 2022. Weavers: John Dicks, Cheryl Thornton and Milly Formby. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.8 x 2.16m. Photo: Australian Tapestry Workshop.
Patrons: Baillieu Myer and Sarah Myer, Myer Family Grants Program, Yulingbar Foundation and Tapestry Foundation Australia. Location: Australian Embassy, Paris. Artist: Elizabeth Marks Nakamarra. Title: Creek Bed 2009. © Elizabeth Marks Nakamarra/Copyright Agency, 2022. Weavers: Chris Cochius, Louise King and Pamela Joyce. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.82 x 2.72m. Photo: Viki Petherbridge.
Patrons: Jean Elizabeth Ryan Charitable Trust, John Kerr Tutton Charitable Trust, Estate of the late Miss Margaret Littledale Tutton. Location: Australian Embassy, The Vatican. Artists: Clifford Brooks, Jeffrey James, Putuparri Tom Lawford, Peter Tinker, Richard Yukenbarri Tjakamarra, Charlie Wallabi Tjungurrayi, Helicopter Tjungurrayi, Patrick Tjungurrayi. Title: Kunawarritji to Wajapani 2011. Weavers: Sue Batten, Chris Cochius, Milly Formby, Pamela Joyce and Emma Sulzer. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.67 x 4.0m. Photo: Australian Tapestry Workshop.
Patrons: Norman, Mavis and Graeme Waters Charitable Trust. Location: Australian Embassy, Washington. Artist: Trevor Nickolls. Title: Kimberley under the Stars 2008. © Trevor Nickolls/Copyright Agency, 2022. Weavers: John Dicks, Milly Formby and Louise King. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.34 x 2.90m. Photo: Australian Tapestry Workshop.
Patrons: Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, The Calvert-Jones Foundation, Annamilla Pty Ltd, Mrs Neilma Gantner, Sir James Gobbo, Jianguo Pty Ltd, Yulingbar Foundation, Julie Kantor (Anamilla Pty Ltd), Sir James and Lady Gobbo, Carillo Gantner (Jinguo Pty Ltd), Baillieu Myer (Yugilbar Foundation) and Frank and Maggie Morandini. Location: Australian Embassy, Rome. Artist: Nyankulya Watson. Title: Ngayuku Ngura (This is my Country) 2010. © Nyankulya Watson/Copyright Agency, 2022. Weavers: Amy Cornall, Louise King, Emma Sulzer and Caroline Tully. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.81 x 2.73m, Photo: Viki Petherbridge
Patrons: Carillo Gantner, Baillieu Myer and Sarah Myer, Arnold Hancock, Gordon Darling, Macquarie Bank and Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. Location: Australian Embassy, Beijing. Artist: Pedro Woneaemirri. Title: Pwojo Pukamani Body Painting 2005. © Pedro Wonaeamirri / Copyright Agency, 2022. Weavers: John Dicks and Milena Paplinska. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.20 x 2.30m. Photo: Australian Tapestry Workshop.
The Delacombe Series
Tapestry Foundation Australia and its patrons have commissioned tapestries to be placed in Australian public hospitals since 2004. Named after Lady Delacombe, one of the co-founders of the Australian Tapestry Workshop, this series celebrates her foresight and commitment to the art of tapestry.
Patrons: Myer Foundation, Perpetual Trustees and Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. Location: Bairnsdale Hospital. Artist: Geoffrey Ricardo. Title: Bairnsdale Hospital Tapestry 2004. Weavers: Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 2.3 x 2.67m. Photo: Australian Tapestry Workshop.
Patrons: The Helen Macpherson Trust Location: Royal Melbourne Hospital. Artist: Merrin Eirth. Title: Research and Respond 2007. Weaver: Chris Cochius. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 2.0 x 4.0m. Photo: Australian Tapestry Workshop.
Patrons: Anne and Mark Robertson, Alex Robertson and Australian Hotels Association. Location: Northern Hospital, Melbourne. Artist: Bern Emmerichs. Title: North Facing 2012. Weavers: Sue Batten and Emma Sulzer. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.6 x 4.25m. Photo: Viki Petherbridge.
Patrons: John and Janet Calvert Jones, Anne, Mark Robertson and The Australian Hotels Association. Location: Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Artist: John Olsen. Title: Life Burst 2016. © John Olsen/Copyright Agency, 2022. Weavers: Sue Batten, Chris Cochius, Pamela Joyce, Jennifer Sharpe and Cheryl Thornton. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.13 x 5.5 m. Photo: Jeremy Weihrauch.
Patrons: Anne and Mark Robertson, Hotel Leisure Group. Location: Royal Womens Hospital. Artist: Sally Smart. Title: Eye Desire 2011. © Sally Smart. Weavers: Sue Batten and Chris Cochius. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 4.84 x 2.75 m. Photo: Viki Petherbridge.
Patrons: The Beck Family. Location: Royal Childrens Hospital. Artist: Robert Ingpen. Title: The Games Children Play 2009. Image used with courtesy of the artist. Weavers: Sue Batten, Emma Sulzer and John Dicks. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.5 x 4.2 m. Photo: Vicki Petherbridge. Commissioned in tribute to Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s 75 year relationship with the RCH.
Other Commissions
Tapestry Foundation Australia funds commissions for a wide variety of public institutions to mark special occasions or to celebrate the contributions of Australians to the broader world.
Patron: The Marjorie J. Kingston Charitable Trust. Location: State Library of Victoria. Artist: Benjamen McKeown. Title: Spring Street End 2011. Image used with courtesy of the artist. Weavers: Milly Formby, Pamela Joyce, Milena Paplinska and Emma Sulzer. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 4.2 x 3.26 m. Photo: Vicki Petherbridge.
Patron: Tapestry Foundation Australia. Location: Private collection, United Kingdom. Artist: David Noonan. Title: Untitled 2009. Image used with courtesy of the artist. Weavers: Sue Batten, Amy Cornall and Cheryl Thornton. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 2.30 x 2.93 m. Photo: Vicki Petherbridge.
Patron: Geoff and Helen Handbury Foundation. Location: Warrnambool Base Hospital. Artist: John Wolseley. Title: Concerning the wading birds of the Warrnambool wetlands 2012. © John Wolseley/Copyright Agency, 2022. Weavers: Chris Cochius, Pamela Joyce and Melina Paplinska. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.80 x 1.90 m. Photo: Jeremy Weihrauch.
Patrons: Eldon Hogan Trust and Frank Sweeney. Location: Xavier College, Melbourne. Artist: John Cattapan. Title: The Visitor 2008. Image used with courtesy of the artist. Weavers: Chris Cochius, John Dicks, Milly Formby and Emma Sulzer. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 1.5 x 7.70 m. Photo: Vicki Petherbridge. Commissioned for the Seldon Hogan Performing Arts Centre at Xavier College, Melbourne.
Patron: Geoff and Helen Handbury Foundation. Location: Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Artist: Imants Tillers. Title: Avenue of Remembrance 2015. © Imants Tillers/Copyright Agency, 2022. Weavers: Chris Cochius, Sue Batten, Leonie Bessant, Pamela Joyce, Milena Paplinska, Laura Russell and Cheryl Thornton. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 3.27 x 2.83 m. Photo: Jeremy Weihrauch. This design was in part a response to The Gallipoli Letter written by Sir Keith Murdoch in 1915 and held in the National Library of Australia.
Patron: The Marjorie J. Kingston Charitable Trust. Location: State Library of Victoria. Artist: Juan Davila. Title: Sorry 2013. © Juan Davila/Copyright Agency, 2022. Weavers: Sue Batten, Pamela Joyce, Milena Paplinska and Cheryl Thornton. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 4.2 x 3.26 m. Photo: Jeremy Weihrauch. Commissioned by the State Library of Victoria to celebrate the centenary of the domed reading room.
Patrons: Tim and Gina Fairfax, Tapestry Foundation Australia. Location: Queensland Art Gallery. Artist: Yvonne Todd. Title: Alice Bayke 2015. Weavers: Sue Batten and Amy Cornall. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 3.00 x 2.40 m. Photo: Vicki Petherbridge.
Patrons: The Myer Foundation, The Sarah and Baillieu Myer Family Foundation. Location: National Gallery of Victoria. Artist: Roger Kemp. Title: Unity in Space 2006. Weavers: Chris Cochius, Louise King, Laura Mar, Emma Sulzer and Cheryl Thornton. Australian Tapestry Workshop, wool and cotton, 5.0 x 3.3 m. Photo: Courtesy of Australian Tapestry Workshop. Donated to the National Gallery of Victoria in 2023 to remain ensuite with the four Kemp tapestries commissioned by Dame Elisabeth Murdoch.
Previous and current partners
