Tolarno Galleries in a new light

2022 has brought with it a new art space in the heart of the Melbourne CBD for Tolarno Galleries, a change that marks fifty-five years since the establishment of the gallery in 1967.

The design of the new space is credited to Melbourne architect Peter Elliot AM, a recipient of the Australian Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal, Elliott transformed Level 5 of the 1930s Art Deco building into a place that, with the deliberate ‘bare[ness of its] concrete floors’ and plastered beams and walls, offers a “calm” intended to enhance the richness of displayed artworks.

Gallery Director Jan Minchin said: “Some spaces have an expanded mesh ceiling to mask new services.”

“The main gallery,” she says, “features a large central skylight which changes the mood of the space from day to night.”

By combining this natural light with specifically selected “ERCO high quality artificial light”, Buckford Illumination Group’s Director, Darren Bucknall, has further augmented “the true colour and depth of the artwork being displayed.”

“The new lighting also offers the ultimate in lighting control using Bluetooth Low Energy wireless technology to power Casambi smart lighting. This minimises set up times and offers the right amount of light for each art piece controlled from a smart phone device,” says Minchin.

Tolarno Galleries new space opened on the 27 August with the exhibition Monkey Business, a showcase of new paintings by Brent Harris.

The new art space is located on the top floor of 104 Exhibition Street. It is a short six-minute walk from Melbourne’s Central station and overlooks the Fitzroy Gardens and State Library of Victoria – “A must visit for contemporary art lovers.”