Union Made

Celebrating USU’s 150th anniversary, Union Made: Art from the University of Sydney Union is a selection from the union’s stunning collection of 536 works. The free exhibition celebrates the collection’s diversity in four themes: student activism, modernism, Indigenous works and historic works. 

USU’s origins go back to 1874, when the University of Sydney’s Men’s Union was formed. It was renamed the University Students’ Union in 1972 when the Men’s Union merged with Sydney University Women’s Union. Its art collection began in 1913 with the commissioning of a mural by Australian painter Norman Carter, also a lecturer at the University, to furnish the newly constructed Holme Building. 

The collection literally grew with the University. The completion of new buildings created space for more works acquired with union funds, donated or loaned by members of the University community. 

Many early works were by renowned artists like Arthur Streeton and Albrecht Durer. 

“In the early 20th century, regional landscapes were the mainstay of Australian museum acquisitions,” said Ann Stephen, exhibition co-curator and curator of the Chau Chak Wing Museum’s art collection. 

The acquisition of Maurice de Vlaminck’s Paysage (After the Storm), acquired in 1939 when the work was part of a famous modernist exhibition from Europe, marked a move away from the union’s more conventional acquisitions.

A seismic shift occurred with the opening of the University’s Wentworth Building in 1972.  

“This prompted the union to begin acquiring modernist works to suit the brutalist architecture of the Wentworth,” said Dr Stephen

The appointment of Nick Vickers as curator from 1990 until 2006 marked another curatorial shift.  

“Nick professionalised the maintenance and curation of the collection,” said exhibition co-curator and director of the USU’s Verge Gallery Tesha Malott. 

“The union also acquired more emerging artists under his leadership, For instance, John Young’s May Day March was acquired when Young was still a student at the Sydney College of the Arts.”

The Union was prescient in acquiring the work of major Indigenous artists such as the Robert Campbell jnr and Utopia artist Emily Kngwarreye.

“The Union collected wonderful bark paintings by Arnhem Land artists such as Phillip Gudthaykudthay, whose work features in Union Made,” said Ms Malott.  

USU, a separate entity to the University, donated the collection to the Chau Chak Wing Museum in 2019 to ensure it continued receiving the highest level of care and access. It is now part of the University Art Collection.

“This was a big decision on the union’s part and the donation is one of our most valuable gifts,” said Chau Chak Wing Museum director Michael Dagostino. 

The acquisition of the works means the museum can continue USU’s original intention of holding works that encourage cultural and intellectual stimulation among students.

“Our custodianship of these works means students will have continued access to them via our object-based learning program and ongoing exhibitions,” Mr Dagostino said. 

Union Made is on at the museum’s Level One Power Gallery until June 2025. The exhibition is audio described. It is one of seven new shows to open at the museum in the second half of this year.