A curation of rare wallpaper samples from the personal collection of nationally acclaimed architect and former Castlemaine resident Phyllis Murphy AM will be exhibited in Melbourne next month.
The designs, some dating back to the mid-19th century, will resonate with people interested in design, the arts, architecture, form, interiors, history, and lifestyles.
Ms Murphy began her collection while living in Castlemaine and many of the first items came from houses in the area. She published a book, Historic Wallpapers in Australia, 1850-1920 with the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum in 1996.
Ms Murphy worked with Hobsons Bay City Council to curate the exhibition, which will provide a unique opportunity for people to experience a significant collection. The exhibits will be on display at the Chamber at the Williamstown Town Hall for just three days. The collection will be housed permanently at the Living Museum of Sydney next year.
Phyllis Murphy was a trailblazer in Australian architecture. She was one of only two women to graduate in her field from the University of Melbourne in 1949.
Phyllis and her husband John Murphy started an architectural practice in 1950, becoming known for their Modernist designs. They worked on many major projects together, including the Melbourne Olympic Swimming Stadium, which still stands today on the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Batman Avenue. Ms Murphy was also instrumental in helping establish the National Trust of Australia in 1958.
As part of their business, Phyllis and John undertook significant conservation work, and it was seeing how people lived and what their houses looked like that started Ms Murphy’s interest in wallpaper. Her passion grew from there over more than 40 years. She is now recognised for her expertise in Victorian-era wallpaper. Ms Murphy was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday honours this year for her significant service to architecture and to built heritage conservation.
“Phyllis’s collection is an incredible step back in time that tells us so much about the people that have come before us – their personalities, how they lived, and the trends and style of the eras they lived in,” said Hobsons Bay mayor Cr Peter Hemphill.
“These are bold, beautiful pieces of art. The opportunity to see this exhibition is unique so I encourage everyone from Castlemaine and central Victoria to come down and experience it.”
The exhibition will be available to view free of charge on December 2-3 from 2 pm-7 pm and December 4 from 11 am-3 pm.