On this day 21st August 1911 the painting of the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in Paris where it had been since 1797.
The painting was stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia an Italian museum worker who believed it should belong to Italy, it was recovered three years later. It is one of the most valuable paintings in the world now valued to be worth 1 billion dollars.
This fact makes us think about the value of art where it originated and where we can see it.
Mundaring Shire has its own Art Collection which comprises of both donated and purchased pieces. This collection is managed by the Mundaring Arts Centre ( MAC ) and if you go to the Mundaring Art Centre website you can see what is included.
Search under Exhibitions and Shire of Mundaring Art Acquisitions Exhibition.
Mundaring Art Centre has been in operation since 1997. It is the result of a group of dedicated people including Robyn Larkin and Madeline Clear who were passionate about providing somewhere for local artists to exhibit their works and they found a venue. The first building was on Great Eastern Highway, an old service station west of Brooking Road in Mahogany Creek. The first artist in residence was Nigel Hewitt and a Christmas art and craft Exhibition was organised that year.
Access to this centre proved to be problematic and it was 18 years later when the next and current venue was opened in the old Post Office building.
Some of the Shire of Mundaring's art acquisitions are seen here:
Madeline Clear's The Woodheap 1994
Robert Juniper's painting of Mundaring Weir in 1981
Nigel Hewit's painting of Robert Juniper in 2010
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