Portrait of the piss artist as a young man

Being the son of the revered John Olsen has often been intriguing, and sometimes difficult.

Olsen, 92, is arguably Australia’s greatest living artist, and is still painting. His son, Tim, 58, the author of this fine memoir, runs one of Australia’s leading art galleries in Woollahra, Sydney.

Is Damien Hirst's Latest Series a Ripoff of an Aboriginal Australian Artist? See the Works Side-by-Side

Damien Hirst's new work looks a lot like the paintings of famed Aboriginal artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye.

9 New Galleries That Opened in New York City in 2017

Don’t focus on the closings. Three cheers for new galleries!

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Image: OLSEN GRUIN installed with its summer show, Wesley Martin Berg and Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri (courtesy OLSEN GRIUIN)

Art galleries are kind of like restaurants. It’s a hard business, and although it’s always sad when one closes (especially after many years serving the neighborhood), when a new one opens, it brings new promise. While 2017 saw the closing of venues like Envoy Enterprises, CRG Gallery, and Sandra Gering Inc., it also witnessed the opening of several brand new galleries in New York City. Here are a few of them [extract]

The Olsen Gruin Gallery, Manhattan, New York

Olsen Gruin is a contemporary art gallery in New York featuring established and emerging Australian and international artists.

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‘If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere...'

As the song goes, if you can make it in New York, especially in the competitive world of art dealing and gallery proprietorship, then you really have made it.

To then take it to the next level and successfully remain there takes precise planning mixed with boundless enthusiasm, talent, charm and commitment. And that's exactly what Aussies Tim Olsen and Emerald Gruin, the savvy proprietors of the Manhattan Art Gallery the ‘OLSEN GRUIN' have in abundance.

Aboriginal art $2.1m auction breaks record

A painting by Aboriginal artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye has sold for $2.1 million, a record for the highest auction price for an Australian female artist.

A painting by the late Aboriginal artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye has sold for $2.1 million, marking a new record for the highest price achieved at auction for an Australian female artist.

Her contemporary painting, Earth's Creation I, was sold on Thursday night to art dealer Tim Olsen, who recently set up a gallery in New York.

The painting has an impressive exhibition record. It has been shown at the National Gallery Japan, National Museum of Osaka and the Venice Biennale, National Museum of Australia, Art Gallery of NSW and the National Gallery of Victoria.

Fine Art Bourse and CooeeArt Marketplace organised the online auction, which had to be postponed when a server crashed as thousands of people worldwide tried to log in to watch the sale.

ART REVIEW: Tim Olsen

Two prominent gallerists share their views on contemporary art and their own personal collections.

Tim Olsen is a leading galleriest in Australia, running Olsen Gallery, Olsen Annexe and Limited in Sydney's Woollahra. Born into the arts dynastically, he is the son of the great painter John Olsen. He recently launched Olsen Gruin gallery in New York - taking Australian art international.

Best New Art Spaces to Visit This Fall

Opened in New York’s Nolita neighborhood in March 2017, this gallery is a collaboration between Tim Olsen, a former Sydney-based gallerist, Emerald Gruin and her partner, Adrian, who were previously involved with Rox Gallery that shuttered its Lower East Side space in 2014. Their roster of artists includes some of Australia’s biggest contemporary exports, including TV Moore, George Byrne and Leila Jeffreys, along with American artists such as KOAK. Their venue is also a platform for contemporary Aboriginal artists to reach U.S. markets, and they recently held a group show organized by Adam Knight, vice president of the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia, featuring 15 artists. The gallery is presenting new works by Sydney-born, L.A.-based photographer George Byrne this fall.

INSIDE TIM OLSEN'S WOOLLAHRA HOME | THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN

Meet the Australians Shaking Up New York's Art Scene

Olsen Gruin gallery first opened its doors on the Lower East Side less than a year ago. Since then, it has already outgrown its original space and is relocating to a new gallery space on Orchard St. that is three times the size of the current location. Olsen Gruin Gallery is the collaborative venture of Tim Olsen and Emerald and Adrian Gruin.

OLSEN GRUIN 'SHARING COUNTRY' | The 30 Hottest Group Shows to See in New York this Summer

Congratulations OLSEN GRUIN on being featured as #10 in Artnet's 30 hottest group shows to visit in New York this summer.

'Sharing Country' curated by Adam Knight continues until July 23 at 211 Elizabeth Street.

To view the full exhibition, please visit the OLSEN GRUIN website here.

Tim Olsen takes the leap into the cut-throat New York art world

Sydney art dealer Tim Olsen is about to open the doors on one of his most ambitious projects yet: his own gallery in the thick of New York's cut-throat contemporary art gallery scene.

Located on Elizabeth Street in Soho's established gallery enclave, Olsen told PS he was confident the move would be a success, with a long list of Australian and international artists set to grace its walls.

How gallery owner Tim Olsen found out who he really was

I had hoped that by asking Tim Olsen to have Lunch with the AFR, we might discuss the state of the contemporary art market, the amusing and less amusing side of life as an art dealer and growing up as the son of one of Australia's most successful painters.

Tim Olsen Man in Black

Tim Olsen's presence is nothing short of colourful as he welcomes us with open arms into his gallery - except it doesn't feel like a gallery as much as it does a home, with Tim ushering us to the lounge as he makes us tea. We don't have to look took far to see a painting or two. Here is where I should mention were not in the crisp white oblong space that is the stunning Tim Olsen Gallery. We're upstairs in Tim's office, albeit it’s not what I expect.

State of Art

With Sydney's commercial galleries struggling to get people through the door due to the rise of online trading, attitudes to selling in the art world are being forced to change. Elissa Blake speaks with art dealers and artists about their survival strategies.

Small joy flows from a lake of tears

When Paul Lockyer took off on his fateful tril to Lake Eyre last August, the veteran ABC journalist left a manuscript for his family to read while he was away.

Olsen offers painting in honour of ABC's Lockyer

John Olsen made the final touches to his latest ainting of Lake Eyre only a few days ago. Approaching Lake Eyre was his memorial to Paul Lockyer, the ABC journalist who died in a helicopter crash alongside cameraman John Bean and pilot Gary Ticehurst at Lake Eyre in August last year.

Australia Day: The nation in landscape

The Herald invited 12 artists to share a glimpse of the country through their eyes.

Couples have wedding registries down to a fine art

By the time Felicity Smith and Paul Lowe decided to get married, they owned a house in Darlinghurst and had enough kitchenware and manchester to last them decades. Rather than risk an avalanche of salad bowls and steak knives on their wedding day next month, the couple have asked guests to contribute towards at $12,000 abstract painting.
 

Following his Art: Tim Olsen's life was mapped out from birth

Tim Olsen is one of Australia's best known art gallery owners; he is also the son of one of Australia's most
celebrated living artists, John Olsen. Given his artistic heritage, Tim always knew his life would be intertwined in the art world; it was just a question of how. "I went to art school, but I was intimidated by having a famous father," he says. "I did a degree in art education to teach children and the art gallery thing evolved. I like the lifestyle of dealing with artists, who are like second nature to me."

Registry

Registry