Reopening of Brett Whiteley Studio in Sydney’s Surry Hills after renovations
Consensus Summary
The Brett Whiteley Studio in Sydney’s Surry Hills reopened after two years of renovations, featuring a new exhibition titled *Brett Whiteley: Coming Home*. The studio, originally a T-shirt factory and warehouse purchased in 1985, served as Whiteley’s home and workspace from 1987 until his death in 1992. The space was preserved intact by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, including unfinished works and personal items. Highlights include *Alchemy*, a 16-metre-wide 1976 painting, and *The green mountain, Fiji*, created in 1969. The Guardian notes the studio has been a museum since 1995 and the exhibition opens on 25 July, while ABC details the studio’s history, renovations, and Whiteley’s life, including his time in New York and Fiji. Both sources emphasize the studio’s significance as a preserved artistic space.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Brett Whiteley Studio in Sydney’s Surry Hills has been closed for restoration works for the past two years
- The studio was converted from a T-shirt factory and warehouse in 1985
- Brett Whiteley lived and worked in the studio from 1987 until 1992, when he died
- The studio reopened with a new exhibition titled *Brett Whiteley: Coming Home*
- The studio was sold to the NSW Government by the Whiteleys' late daughter Arkie
- The studio was entrusted to the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) and left intact, including Whiteley’s art supplies and unfinished works
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The studio has been a museum and gallery since 1995
- The exhibition *Brett Whiteley Coming Home* opens on 25 July
- The article mentions a separate exhibition: *Forty years of Aboriginal protest posters*
- Whiteley bought the studio in 1985 with his then-wife Wendy
- The studio was closed for renovations in 2024 (implied by 'two years ago')
- Whiteley died of an opiate overdose in 1992 in a motel room in Thirroul, north of Wollongong
- The studio’s renovations included replacing a leaky roof and installing climate-controlled air-conditioning
- Whiteley painted *Alchemy* in 1976, a 16-metre-wide work spread across 18 wood panels
- *Alchemy* features on the cover of Dire Straits’ 1984 live album *Alchemy*
- Whiteley painted *The green mountain, Fiji* in 1969 during his time in Fiji
- Whiteley lived in New York for two years in the late 1960s, meeting Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan
- Whiteley left Australia in 1959 and spent about 10 years overseas
- Whiteley created *View from Raper St studio* in 1985, depicting Surry Hills in the mid-80s
- Whiteley first created *Red roof with fence* in 1970 and reworked it in the early 80s
- Whiteley’s studio contained a 600-album record collection played on an old turntable
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The Guardian states the studio has been a museum since 1995, while ABC does not mention this specific start date
- The Guardian mentions the studio was closed for restoration works for the past two years, while ABC states the renovations began two years ago (implied 2024), but neither provides an exact reopening date beyond the context of the articles' publication in 2026
Source Articles
A note from Paul Kelly and a box of human hair: seven curios found in Brett Whiteley’s studio – in pictures
Brett Whiteley’s former studio and home in Sydney’s Surry Hills has been a museum and gallery since 1995. For the past two years it has been closed for restoration works, during which some of the artist’s most treasured items were discovered. The curator of Brett Whiteley Studio, Nick Yelverton, shares seven belongings uncovered in the space that shine new light on Whiteley’s extraordinary life and practice. The museum’s new free exhibition, Brett Whiteley Coming Home , opens on 25 July • We hav
Six artworks to see at the newly reopened Brett Whiteley Studio
An Archibald winner, an intimate portrait of a marriage and a suburban backyard are among the Brett Whiteley artworks on display at his renovated studio.