Overview

Artspace is pleased to announce the appointments of Mikala Dwyer and Amanda Love to the Board of Directors.

Mikala Dwyer is one of Australia’s preeminent artists, with an interdisciplinary practice spanning more than 30 years. She is highly-regarded among the Australian and international art community as a knowledgeable and passionate supporter of art and artists. As a lecturer at Sydney College of the Arts (SCA), she has mentored countless artists — evidenced in her curation of Primavera 2014, the Museum of Contemporary Art’s annual exhibition profiling emerging artists across Australia; and most recently in her dedicated advocacy for the successful LET SCA STAY movement. She is also an alumna of the inaugural 2015 Artspace One Year Studio program and has a rich history of engagement with Artspace, including a presentation of new work in our 2016 launch exhibition, Dämmerschlaf.

Mikala has exhibited in major local and international institutions including Museum of Contemporary Art and Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney; Heide Museum of Modern Art and Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne; Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane; Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin; Kunsthaus Graz, Austria; Zacheta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw; Projects Arts Centre, Dublin; Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff; and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington.

Amanda Love is widely regarded as one of the arts’ most active and committed benefactors. Over the past 20 years, she has built up a substantial collection of Australian and international contemporary art, and has pioneered contemporary art collecting initiatives in private, corporate and public realms worldwide. She was previously a member of the Board of Directors of the Biennale of Sydney and played a founding role in the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ Contemporary Collection Benefactors and Photography Collection Benefactors and the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Director’s Working Circle. 

Amanda was formerly an arts lawyer with Allen Allen & Hemsley (now Allens), Sydney and Deacons, Hong Kong. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Sydney and has lectured in contemporary art at the National Gallery of Scotland and at the Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne. 

Of their appointment, Artspace Board Chair, James Emmett and Artspace Executive Director,Alexie Glass-Kantor state, ‘We are so excited to welcome Mikala and Amanda to the Artspace Board of Directors. Now more than ever, Artspace must demonstrate its commitment to strong, ethical and diverse leadership. This year we are proud to announce that we have increased artist representatives on the Artspace Board from two to three. In doing so, we seek to underscore the important role that artists have in collaboratively leading this organisation’s future. Mikala is a wonderful and generous spirit, and a natural leader and mentor not just for new generations of artists but also for arts organisations and institutions.’ They continue, ‘Likewise, Amanda’s philanthropic leadership has transformed the culture of benefaction and private-giving, and resulted in a number of benchmark initiatives that ensure consistent investment in art and artists in Australia and internationally. Together, their knowledge and commitment will prove invaluable as we continue to champion the vital role that art and artists play in enriching the Australian cultural landscape.'

Mikala Dwyer. Mikala Dwyer is represented by Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney; Anna Schwartz Gallery, Melbourne; and Hamish McKay Gallery, Wellington.