Philip Bacon of Philip Bacon Galleries shares his property journey. Photo: David Kelly
Australia’s leading art dealer and philanthropist, Philip Bacon AO, has represented Australian artists for more than 40 years through Philip Bacon Galleries in Fortitude Valley.
He built his West End home with art in mind and has also collaborated with Brisbane architect Liam Proberts on the design of a new inner city apartment complex, Thornton Kangaroo Point.
Follow his property journey:
Philip Bacon has helped design a state-of-the-art gallery system for each apartment in the new Thornton Kangaroo Point development by JGL Properties.
Australian art dealer and patron Philip Bacon AO.
Where do you live and why?
Philip Bacon at his home on Dornoch Terrace, West End in 1999, the same year he was awarded an Order of Australia for his service to the visual and performing arts.
(I live in) West End, I’ve always lived there. I rented a flat on Dornoch Terrace decades ago and loved it. Your first taste of independence — like your first car — you remember fondly. Now I live in a house 15 houses up from that flat. I demolished the house that was here and built a house for my collection in 1986. It’s vaguely a Palladian villa, very symmetrical but very ordered.
What do you love about your suburb?
A view of Dornoch Terrace which stretches from Highgate Hill to West End.
West End has the advantage of being close to everything but also has a bit of an island feel. My family is from Melbourne and this is a part of Brisbane that reminded me of Melbourne.
If you could change one thing about your house what would it be?
I do things on the house from time to time. Most recently I removed the carpet and replaced it with parquetry because I’m crazy about beautiful timber floors. Some years ago I changed the wall treatment in my sitting room from paint to sgraffito, an Italian marbleised waxed wall treatment.
If money was no object, what would be your perfect home and where?
Lake Como in Northern Italy.
I would like please a villa on Lake Como in Northern Italy. Probably not next to George and Amal Clooney but in proximity. Not near the hordes of day trippers.
What is the best piece of property advice anyone has ever given you?
When Jeffrey Smart sold a picture when he was still living in Australia, he invested the proceeds in a house in Paddington (Sydney).
Jeffrey Smart at Philip Bacon Galleries in 2003. He received an Order of Australia for his service to the visual arts in 2001. Picture: Suzanna Clark
Margaret Olley did the same, independently of each other. They both thought it was wonderful selling a painting but it wasn’t secure in the 1950s.
Margaret Olley painting at Farndon in 1966. She was awarded an Order of Australia in 1991 for her service as an artist and the promotion of art. Picture: Bob Millar, courtesy of the State Library of Queensland
It worked so well for both of them. Margaret owned 12-14 houses and got a little income from that and when Jeffrey decided to go to Italy he sold up in Australia. It was security.
Former home of Australian artist Jeffrey Smart in Tuscany, Italy. Photo: Christies International Real Estate
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