Carrick Hill Re-Opens After 17 Month $3.3 Million Renovation

Following a $3.3million renovation Carrick Hill, the 1939 estate and former residence of Sir Edward and Lady Hayward in the Adelaide foothills will re-open to the public from Saturday 28 November. The house been closed since July 2019 for the work.

The renovation has seen the attic (previously inaccessible to the public) stripped out to create a new 75square metre permanent exhibition space. The space has been named The Wall Gallery in honour of Ian and Pamela Wall, who provided a significant donation towards the renovation. To honour these major donors the Carrick Hill Foundation commissioned a portrait of Ian and Pamela by leading Australian portraitist Robert Hannaford of Adelaide.

The opening exhibition for The Wall Gallery is entitled Collecting: A Personal View which explores the influence of Sir Kenneth Clark on the both the collections at the Art Gallery of SA and at Carrick Hill. Carrick Hill Director Tony Kanellos said, 'The show explores the idea of 'a great collection' by comparing the parallel stories of Sir Kenneth Clark and the Haywards acquiring works for public and private collections. The exhibition borrows numerous works from AGSA that were acquired by Clark and of course showcases the Hayward's personal collection. As a cultural institution with its origins as a private residence and collection - this is an intriguing question.'

The creation of The Wall Gallery has enabled the former guest bedroom, previously used as exhibition space, to be reinterpreted. Many celebrities stayed at Carrick Hill over the years including Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Judith Anderson, Robert Helpmann and Sir Kenneth Clark. Re-organised areas for staff have also enabled the opening of other historic areas of the house to the visitor experience. An elevator to all 3 levels of the house and been installed as well as new fire compliant staircase and accessible toilet facilities inside the house.

Tabel Catering have returned to operate the café and marquee catering side. Each Friday at 5.00pm from 20 November through until 2 April, Tabel will operate a gin bar onsite. Gin being one of the favourite tipples of Lady Hayward.

In all, $2.7million was raised by The Carrick Hill Foundation (through private benefactor donations) along with a $690,000 grant from the State Government for the renovation.

The house re-opens to the public on the weekend of the 21st of November. Visitors to Carrick Hill will be eligible for free membership to the Friends of Carrick Hill which will be valid from 25th of November 2020 to 30th of June 2021. Membership benefits include free entry to the house, special events, gift shop & café discounts. This offer is only valid during the opening weekend.

Collecting: A Personal View features 16 rarely seen works from the AGSA collection as well as works held by Carrick Hill. Sir Kenneth Clark stayed at Carrick Hill on 5 Feb 1949 and whilst there he rehung a number of works for the Hayward's.

Exhibition Curator Kate Davies says, ' Clark's innovative approach to art history and connoisseurship changed not only the way we look at pictures, but also how we interacted with art and culture.'

Writer and Art Historian Margot Osborne says, 'When Sir Kenneth Clark visited Adelaide in 1949 he was already a distinguished and powerful figure in the British art world. Throughout his Australian visit Clark was feted in every city and introduced to its leading artists. He met Sidney Nolan and Russell Drysdale for the first time and later helped them establish careers in London. So it was a coup for Adelaide that during his visit Clark offered to become a London buyer for the National Gallery of South Australia (now Art Gallery of South Australia). Over the next five years he would buy twenty-six paintings and drawings for the Gallery and lay the foundations for its modern British art collection.'

Set on 100 acres, Carrick Hill is one of South Australia's most valuable historic assets and an important window into Adelaide's past. The house and grounds were generously bequeathed to the State by the Hayward's in 1983 for the public to enjoy. Carrick Hill represents one of the best, examples of fine mid-twentieth century living in Australia.

Carrick Hill is open Wednesdays through to Sundays from 10.00am to 4:30pm
Tickets are available at the door.

Collecting: A Personal View runs through to 28 March 2021
www.carrickhill.sa.gov.au

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