2015 marks 10 years since the dynamic duo – Joanna Strumpf and Ursula Sullivan – opened their gallery, originally called Sullivan+Strumpf Fine Art, in Paddington. Launching their anniversary year with a group show, the renamed Sullivan+Strumpf will present work by each of their 26 represented artists throughout the dual level art gallery.
Juggling the demands of motherhood and work, the co-directors have established and grown their gallery and its stable of artists to be considered by many as one of the leading commercial contemporary spaces in the Asia-Pacific region.
Reflecting on their successful establishment and growth, Joanna Strumpf says: “we’re really lucky there are two of us. I think that’s been a lot of the success of the gallery. We’re equally committed, we have goals for the gallery and artists that we want to achieve and we’re both able to go out and make that happen.”
Since its launch in its comparatively modest Paddington space, the gallery moved into its new home of Zetland at the beginning of 2011. Converting the old warehouse style building, Sullivan+Strumpf designed the space with the view to supporting their artists, mounting exhibitions that extend their practices.
The new expanded gallery space sets a high benchmark for their artists to create exhibitions suitable to the size and scale of the building – but it’s a benchmark that’s being well and truly met. Ursula Sullivan explains: “Joanna and I are not in this for practice, so we work hard and are very results driven. We’re ambitious and we want to work with ambitious artists.”
With 10 years under their belts, the results are clear and it’s a resounding success for the Sullivan+Strumpf stable. A partnership not only between the gallery co-directors but with their represented artists. As Joanna remarks: “when our artists are successful, we are successful.”
Sullivan+Strumpf 2015
Opening 31 Janurary, 2015
Sydney
Ursula Sullivan and Joanna Strumpf in their Zetland space, pre renovation, 2011
