Born in Lilydale, outside Melbourne, Ken Whisson (1927 - 2022) studied at Swinburne Technical College between 1944 and 1945. He received tuition from Danilla Vassilieff in the years 1945 and 1946, providing him with direct contact and influence from the seminal generation of Melbourne expressionists.
In 1977, Whisson moved to Perugia, Italy, where he lived for three and a half decades. He continued to exhibit regularly in Australia, building a significant reputation. In 1987 he was recipient of the Visual Arts Board Emeritus Award for his substantial contribution to Australian Art. He was the subject of a major survey exhibition in 2012 titled Ken Whisson: As If, jointly curated by Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne and Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney. His work is represented in all major Australian public collections as well as the British Museum, London and the Chartwell Collection, New Zealand.
Courtesy the Estate of Ken Whisson and Niagara Galleries
Born in Lilydale, Melbourne (1927 – 2022)
EDUCATION
1945
- Diploma of Fine Art (Painting), Queensland College of Art
1992
- Bachelor of Teaching, Griffith University, Brisbane
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023
- Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, presented by Niagara Galleries, Carriageworks, Sydney
2022
- 'A Tribute', Liverpool Street Gallery, Sydney
2021
- Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2020
- Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2019
- 'Ken Whisson', Sydney Contemporary, presented by Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2018
- Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2016
- Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
- 'Ken Whisson', Bank of America Merrill Lynch Art of Connecting, Sydney
2015
2014
- Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2013
- 'Paintings and Drawings', Watters Gallery, Sydney
2012
- 'Ken Whisson: As If', Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne and Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
- Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2011
- 'Ken Whisson: Paintings and Drawings', Watters Gallery, Sydney
2010
- Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2009
2008
- Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
- 'Ken Whisson', The Australian Club, Melbourne
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
- ‘How To Swim’, EDWINA CORLETTE, Brisbane
2023
- 'Blue Chip XXV: The Collectors’ Exhibition', Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2022
- 'Eyes that see: Works from the collection of Norman Rosenblatt', Bayside Gallery, Melbourne
- 'Blue Chip XXIV: The Collectors’ Exhibition', Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2018
- 'Blue Chip XX: The Collectors’ Exhibition', Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2017
- 'Ponyland: The Big Pony Show', Logan Art Gallery, Queensland
- 'Artist Profile, Australasian Painters 2007-2017', Orange Regional Gallery, New South Wales
- A Selection From a Distinguished Private Collection, Watters Gallery, Sydney
- 'Blue Chip XIX: The Collectors’ Exhibition', Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2016
- Recent Acquisitions: Port Phillip City Collection 2015-2016, The Gallery, St Kilda Town Hall
- KIAF 2016 / ART SEOUL, Seoul COEX Hall A & B, Korea
- 'Painting. More Painting', ACCA, Melbourne
- 'Panorama', TarraWarra Museum of Art, Victoria
- 'Blue Chip XVIII: The Collectors’ Exhibition', Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2015
- 'Country & Western: landscape re-imagined', Perc Tucker Regional Gallery,
- Townsville, Queensland
- 'Blue Chip XVII: The Collectors’ Exhibition', Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2014
- Melbourne Art Fair, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
- 'Blue Chip XVI: The Collectors’ Exhibition', Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
- 'Solitaire', TarraWarra Museum of Art, Victoria
COLLECTIONS
Allen Allen & Hemsley, Sydney
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth
Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Victoria
Bank of America Merrill Lynch Art Collection, Sydney
Bathurst Art Gallery, New South Wales
British Museum, London
Broken Hill Art Gallery, New South Wales
Burnie Art Gallery, Tasmania
Centre for Contemporary Art, New Zealand
Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand Dalby Regional Art Gallery, Queensland
Kedumba Gallery, New South Wales
Geelong Art Gallery, Victoria
Heide Museum of Modern Art, Victoria
Latrobe Valley Arts Centre, Victoria
Leeuwin Estate, Western Australia
McClelland Art Gallery, Victoria
Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre, New South Wales
National Australia Bank, Sydney
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Newcastle Regional Art Gallery, New South Wales
NRMA, Sydney
Orange Regional Art Gallery, New South Wales
Parliament House, Canberra
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane
Singleton Municipality, Queensland
Southern Cross University Art Museum, Queensland
State Bank
Sydney College of Advanced Education, New South Wales
Sydney University, New South Wales
Te Papa Tangarewa, Museum of New Zealand, Wellington
University Art Museum, Queensland
University of New England, New South Wales
University of New South Wales, Sydney
Warrnambool Art Gallery, Victoria
Private collections, Australia and overseas
