Penelope Seidler

Penelope Seidler (Born Penelope Alice Marjorie Evatt, 1938) is an Australian architect, former member of National Gallery of Australia Council,[1] and current member of the NGA Foundation Board.[2] Accountant and director of the Sydney-based architectural firm Harry Seidler and associates.[3] Penelope was wife and professional partner to architect Harry Seidler. She was the subject of the 2014 Archibald prize winning portrait by Fiona Lowry.

Early life

Penelope grew up in Wahroonga, New South Wales, daughter of the Hon. Clive Evatt QC (b. 1900 d.1984); a prominent barrister appointed as a QC as well as a NSW Labor politician (MLA for Hurstville 1939-1959), and his wife Marjorie Hanna Evatt (née Andreas), (b. 1903 - d.1984)[4] with two siblings Hon. [Elizabeth Evatt] and Clive Evatt jnr. The Evatt family home located at 69 Junction Road, Wahroonga is now known as 'Parklands' and is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.[5]

Professional life

Penelope is the director of the Sydney-based architectural firm Harry Seidler and associates.[6]

Seidler studied for her Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Sydney and was registered as an architect in 1964.[7] She joined Seidler and Associates that year as architect and financial manager. She has been a Fellow of the Australian institute of Architects since 1983, sitting on the NSW executive council between 1982 and 1984.[8]

She was a founding member of Chief Executive Women (NSW) from 1990 to 2005.[8]

She currently sits on UNSW's Faculty of the Built Environment advisory council.[9]

Life as an art patron, supporter and collector

Penelope Seidler has sat on the International Council of the Museum of Modern Art in New York since 1973, been a Biennale of Sydney director since late 2010, and is deputy commissioner for the world's largest contemporary art exhibition, Australian Pavilion at the 2013 Venice Biennale. Until now, she was an International Advisory Board member of Vienna's Austrian Museum of Applied Arts/Contemporary Art, and is a former council member of the Australiana Fund.[10]

In 1971 Seidler joined the Art Gallery of NSW Society's council being one of the first "volunteer guides" to show visitors around for a group of women who undertook a year's high-level training in the arts, which was an educational initiative where the gallery's popular lecture series grew. Judith White wrote that

“Perhaps Seidler's most remarkable accomplishment was to take on the organisation of the society's overseas tours...I'm pretty sure it was the first ever Western art tour into China… Certainly, it was the first from Australia and the group was a who's who of Sydney society - Lady Mary Fairfax, Bronwyn Bishop, Daniel Thomas, Leslie Walford... an extraordinary group of people...beyond that, as Harry Seidler's architectural career soared, and the couple's financial fortunes with it. She was very sure that her passionate and serious interest in art was a driving force in what they achieved as a couple and as a business."

In 1973, Seidler received an offer letter from New York's Museum of Modern Art requesting her to be one of the member of its International Council. Harry was a member of The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) when he lived in NYC 1946-1948* - he describes Penelope as "one of the people who keeps us in close touch with what's going on ... our eyes and ears in Australia".

In 2008 she became the Member of the Order of Australia for her work in the visual arts and architecture. In 2011, she was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur by the French government and received an award from University if New South Wales an honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of NSW. Penelope has dedicated her life to art. She has donated major art works to many significant institutions and attends art fundraisers and openings, she also continues to collect art and jewelry. To celebrate what would’ve been Harry’s 90th year, she has helped New-York based curator Vladimir Belogolvsky to produce the touring Harry Seidler; Architecture, Art and Collaborative Design (in late 2014, renamed to "Harry Seidler: Painting Toward Architecture") exhibition.

Personal life

Penelope met Harry Seidler in 1957 at a fellow architect's drinks in North Sydney.[11] They married on 15 December 1958, and had two children. Together they lived in Point Piper, in a basement apartment on the water for just over one year, afterwards they moved to Ithaca Gardens, Elizabeth Bay,[12] a newly completed Seidler apartment building, and lived there from January 1960 until late June 1967 before moving to the house designed by her and her husband located in Kalang Avenue, Killara on Sydney's North Shore.

Awards

-The house she designed with her husband ‘Harry & Penelope Seidler House’, Killara, NSW won the Royal Australian Institute of Architects' (NSW Chapter) Wilkinson Award in 1967

-Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2008.

-Honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of NSW

References

  1. ↑ Specifier Magazine. Retrieved from Specifier, Powered by Architect and Designers (N.d)
  2. ↑ "About us : Council + Foundation". Nga.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  3. ↑ Seidler & Associates. (2011, October). Company Profile.
  4. ↑ Office, H. (2008, June 20). NSW heritage search: Harry and Penelope Seidler House.
  5. ↑ "Evatt House | NSW Environment & Heritage". Environment.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  6. ↑ "Harry Seidler & Associates: Company Profile". Seidler.net.au. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  7. ↑ "Our Alumni - Faculty of Architecture, Design & Planning - The University of Sydney". Sydney.edu.au. 2013-01-23. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  8. 1 2 "«Name», «Address1», «Address2», «Address3» «Suburb» «State» «PostcodeÂ" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  9. ↑ "Advisory Council Members - Built Environment - UNSW Australia". Be.unsw.edu.au. 2006-01-19. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  10. ↑ O'Neill, Helen, (2013, July 27). The modernist. Retrieved from Sydney Morning Herald Entertainment
  11. ↑ "Nocookies". The Australian. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  12. ↑ Harry Seidler; Stephen Dobney (1997). Harry Seidler: Selected and Current Works. Images Publishing. pp. 234–. ISBN 978-1-875498-75-8.

Cawthorne, Z. (2013, November 27). Architect with touch of genius. Retrieved from The Australian Jewish News: http://www.jewishnews.net.au/architect-with-touch-of-genius/33265

Elphick, N. (2014, October 31). Art and Design: 'Penelope Seidler maintains interest in architecture, arts'. Retrieved from The Sydney Morning Herald Entertainment: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/penelope-seidler-maintains-interest-in-architecture-arts-20141028-11cj2j.html#ixzz3YnaRSuTO Frampton, K., & Drew, P. (1992). Harry Seidler: Four Decades of Architecture. New York: Thames and Hudson .

Harry Seidler & Associates. (2011, October). Company Profile. Retrieved from Seidler: http://seidler.net.au/

Indesign Media Asia Pacific. (2015, January 12). Community: 'Penelope Seidler In Conversation Art and Architecture. Retrieved from Habit Us Living, The Design Hunt Continues: http://www.habitusliving.com/community/penelope-seidler-in-conversation-art-and-architecture

Lehmann, M. (N.d). Eye of the beholder. Retrieved from The Australian: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/defining-moments-penelope-seidler/story-fnolgd60-1227306648879

Media Office, UNSW. (2014, December 18). Penelope Seidler backs best practice in architecture education. Retrieved from UNSW Newsroom: https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/design/penelope-seidler-backs-best-practice-architecture-education

Mosman Daily. (2009, December 1). News, Story: 'Harry Will Never be Forgotten'. Retrieved from Where I Live: http://mosman-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/harry-will-never-be-forgotten/

Office, H. (2008, June 20). NSW heritage search: Harry and Penelope Seidler House. Retrieved from Office of Environment & Heritage: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=5049861

Penelope Seidler filmed interview at the house for Monocle magazine, February 2016 entitled "Sydney Residence: Harry and Penelope Seidler House. February 2016" online at https://monocle.com/film/design/sydney-residence-harry-and-penelope-seidler-house/ - film duration 6:51min.

Specifier Magazine. (N.d). Penelope Seidler. Retrieved from Specifier, Powered by Architect and Designers: http://www.specifier.com.au/architects/16084/Penelope-Seidler.html


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