Presented as part of UniSC’s 30th Anniversary year, Marking Time: 30 Years of the UniSC Art Collection reflects on the growth of the Collection alongside the University itself. From early acquisitions shaped by a young institution’s ambitions to recent works responding to place, sustainability, and contemporary practice, the Collection operates as a living archive that keeps pace with its communities.
Now comprising more than 1,000 works, the UniSC Art Collection is the most extensive public art collection on the Sunshine Coast. To mark this milestone, Marking Time brings together over 100 works, highlighting key strengths of the Collection including contemporary Australian Indigenous art, contemporary photography, Queensland art, and local narratives.
The exhibition traces how UniSC’s collecting priorities have evolved in response to shifts in contemporary art practice and the University’s changing landscape. The title gestures to record-keeping and the way art registers the passage of time, offering a moment of reflection that looks back, looks closer, and looks forward—while acknowledging the generosity of those who have supported the Collection’s growth.
Image: Sam Cranstoun, Albert Siepert Points Out Highlights of Apollo 10 Liftoff to Belgium King and Queen (GPN-2002-000010), 2023, pencil on paper, 105.5 × 152 cm. UniSC Art Collection. UniSC Contemporaries commission supported by the De Deyne Family, 2025. Photo: Carl Warner. © Sam Cranstoun.
