​Following the fabulous success of ‘The Authentic Consequence’, survey exhibition at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery in 2025, John Baird and I are hard at work refining the text and images for inclusion in a monograph of his work.
I want to acknowledge the valued support of Mornington Peninsula Shire Council who in October 2023 provided funding as part of its Creative Grants to research, write and edit a manuscript on the artist’s life and work.

I am excited to announce my recent appointment to the Board of the Georges Mora Foundation, a small but active not-for-profit cultural organisation that aims to ignite courage and​ fresh thinking in art, and is dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art and artists in Australia.

A casual association with members and friends of the Mora Family was cemented in 2007 when I curated an exhibition at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery on the art, architecture and friendships that characterised the Mora and John and Sunday Reed holiday houses on Melbourne’s Port Philip Bay.

​The Art Gallery of Swan Hill recently launched its major redevelopment in October 2025 featuring enhanced viewing spaces, better storage and environmental conditions and an open education studio and workshop area. RJA were pleased to have worked alongside Brandrick Architects, Echuca, as lead gallery consultant on the initial plans for a new gallery to be built in front of the Pioneer settlement and then, when sadly this did not eventuate, on the redesign and expansion of the established single story building.

​The Frank and Janet South Collection was auctioned at Menzies in South Yarra in November 2025. RJA and Suzanne Janet South OAM heartily thank Cameron Menzies and his team for their hard work in producing an outstanding result and handsome stand-alone publication, a project that was over two years in the making.

Doing appraisals for private collectors never cease to amaze us. Recently we had the honour of valuing The Goldsmith from 1655, a celebrated Rembrandt etching that had travelled from Holland to America and eventually landing in Australia with a descendant of the original owner.
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We love doing this sort of detective work so if you have something weird or wonderful in your collection that you would like to know more about, please drop us a line.




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Harmensz van Rijn Rembrandt
The goldsmith 1655
etching and drypoint 
7.8 x 5.8 cm (sheet, trimmed to platemark)

Trish and I attended the 2024 Premier’s Award for History Award presentation at the Langham Hotel, Melbourne in April and were thrilled to be awarded the top honour from a rich field of 38 shortlisted entries and 140 submissions.

As I explained in my acceptance speech, Letters to a Critic has truly been a labour of love, taking 16 years to complete.
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https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/art-critic-biography-wins-premiers-history-awards

Rodney James Art is excited to be sponsoring an artist participating in the 2025 & Gallery Australia Sorrento Art Prize Selected from the 60 shortlisted finalists, Robert Croft will be creating a large work for the exhibition and the sponsorship funds will cover the materials and framing.
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More information:
https://www.andgalleryaustralia.net/sorrento-art-prize-

​RJA was recently invited to contribute to the Leonard Magazine in their art expert series. Rodney spoke about the challenges and rewards of mounting large-scale exhibitions including the upcoming Fernmania // Lush exhibition that he is curating for Gippsland Art Gallery in Winter 2026. He also unveiled the recently formed partnership between National Gallery of Victoria and Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale that will enable access to their extensive Australian and International Collections and specialist curatorial and exhibitions expertise.

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​A fond farewell to an Australian icon.
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Sad to learn of Michael Leunig's recent passing in December 2024. I was honoured to work alongside Michael in an exhibition we curated for Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery in 2006.

​Vale Michael Leunig. I, for one, will treasure my brief time spent in your company.