Exhibitions

Oliffe Richmond

Opens 23-05-2025,  closes 12-10-2025

Oliffe Richmond (1919–1977) was a Tasmanian-born artist who built a distinguished career in Britain as a sculptor and educator. After studying at Hobart Technical College, he served with the Royal Australian Engineers during World War II before winning a New South Wales Travelling Scholarship in 1948. This led him to Europe, where he worked as an assistant to Henry Moore and later succeeded him as a sculpture teacher at Chelsea School of Art. Richmond’s sculptures are held in major national and international collections, reflecting his mastery of form and structure.

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery holds a significant collection of Richmond’s works on paper, including early pieces from the 1940s gifted by friends Harry Buckie and his daughter Joan, as well as later sketchbooks from the 1950s and ’60s acquired through the Cecily McKinley Bequest. These drawings reveal the evolution of his artistic practice—from early, confident explorations of form, to later studies that reflect his mature sculptural sensibilities. Following a 1989 exhibition that first highlighted this lesser-known aspect of his work, this new selection further explores Richmond’s artistic journey, showcasing both his early and later drawings.