The Gallery
The gallery at fortyfivedownstairs had a distinguished history as a beautiful contemporary art space, much loved by Melbourne artists and audiences. For its new life (and name), we devised the philanthropic model of a curated space for hire which would charge a subsidised rent and no commission.
Since opening in 2002, the gallery has hosted up to 40 exhibitions a year, with over 700 exhibitions, and literally thousands of artists having the opportunity to exhibit their work in one of the most appealing spaces in Melbourne. The very first exhibition by Tim Jones sold a spectacular number of his exquisite small woodblock prints and set a precedent for sales which we always hope to continue.
Here are 45 images from our archives that capture the breadth of work presented at fortyfivedownstairs over the years.