Curated by Dr Jane Eckett with exhibition management by Simon Lawrie, Centre 5: bridging the gap presented an extensive survey of this influential group of sculptors.

Post-war Australian sculpture came of age in the 1960s with the advent of Centre 5. Sculptor Julius Kane instigated the group in Melbourne in 1952, formalising a collegial alliance that emerged in the mid-1950s with Inge King, Clifford Last, Vincas Jomantas, Teisutis Zikaras, and Melbourne-born Norma Redpath and Lenton Parr. Deriving their name from a five-point program, Centre 5 aimed to bridge the gap between artist and public through exhibitions, lectures, and media interviews; seek better representation in public collections; foster a closer relationship with architects; promote a percent-for-the-arts scheme for public buildings; and lobby for sculpture-specific scholarships and fellowships.

The exhibition loaned works from institutions nationwide, including the Arts Centre Melbourne, Ballarat Art Gallery, Geelong Gallery, Mildura Art Gallery, NGA, NGV, State Library of Victoria, University of Melbourne, and private collections.

Images: Centre 5: bridging the gap, installation views, McClelland. Photos Christian Capurro.