It is 40 years since Gordon McKern moved to Bendigo, and for more than one-third of that time, he has been on the board of the Bendigo Art Gallery.
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Now, after six years as its chairman, Mr McKern is stepping down from the role.
He had witnessed community attitudes towards the gallery change dramatically during his tenure.
“It used to be thought of as ‘something up there somewhere’,” he said.
“Now the public at large has accepted this is one of Bendigo’s real features.”
While that was probably the result of blockbuster exhibitions like those dedicated to Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly – he remembered fondly the crowds of visitors who gathered night and day at the feet of the Forever Marilyn sculpture – Mr McKern said the real treasure of the gallery was its View Street facilities.
“We now have a gallery big enough to show off the works of art, continually change the work on show,” he said.
Asked which of the works were his favourite, he points to Too Late, the 1800s Herbert Schmalz painting of a Roman soldier returned from war only to find his betrothed has died.
Mr McKern will remain on the board of the gallery and is still chairman of the Ulumbarra and Aspire foundations.
Stepping into the role is Stan Liacos, a man well acquainted with the gallery’s operation after 10 years as the City of Greater Bendigo city futures director.
Mr Liacos said the gallery was valuable to the city not just as a public record of history, but a source of entertainment too.
“It is in the middle of an arts and culture precinct.”