The service of a Curator/Fine Art Consultant is much more comprehensive than advice about an artwork. Prior to investing, a rationale and a proper set of objectives must be established for the project, including the budget. Then works that meet those criteria are sourced and submitted for approval.

Once the artworks have been purchased there are many other considerations such as framing, mounting, positioning, lighting and conservation. In addition to the physical aspects of the collection, artworks should be researched, catalogued and properly identified by standard museum labels.

John Buckley will supervise all these activities, negotiating the best possible prices with all suppliers and outside services. As a courtesy to clients, John will also provide an informal information talk for Corporate clients, so that the staff of these organisations can gain insight into the works, their significance and the reasons they have been included in the project.

John works directly with architects and designers involved in each project to create a coordinated expression of a corporate image and culture. In addition to the cultural aspects of having fine art on the gallery walls, an investment is also just that: an investment. In this respect, a professional and an educated eye can provide greater satisfaction than personal predilection. Compromises between the two are part of every investment, but our clients report that having taken our advice they have been well pleased with the results.

CURRICULUM VITAE
Born: 9 January 1941 Nhill, Victoria
Qualifications: Dip Fine Art (Painting) RMIT, MA Univ British Columbia
1962 – 1976 Teacher of Art, English and History, Geelong Grammar School and in Art and English, Shawnigan Lake School and St Georges College, Vancouver
1976 – 1979 Director of the Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane
1979 – 1983 Humanities teacher at Glamorgan, Geelong Grammar School
1984 – 1986 Founding Director of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne
1986 Independent curator and consultant

John Buckley curated the Loti and Victor Smorgon Collection of Contemporary Australian Art which is now part of the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. He is currently advisor to a number of major private and corporate collectors.

John Buckley has curated important exhibitions of international art which include The later works of Philip Guston; Robert Mapplethorpe, a survey. He has also arranged visits of prominent artists to Australia as artists in residence. These include Keith Haring, Rodney Allan Grenblatt, Carl André and William T Wiley.

Among the exhibitions of Australian art curated by Buckley is the first major retrospective show of Sidney Nolan’s works on paper in the late 70s. He has just completed the exhibition Nocturne: Images of Night and Darkness in Australian Art from Colonial to Contemporary in 2002.

SERVICES
• Provides independent advice on artists and the art market for private and corporate collectors.
• Establishes guidelines for new collections.
• Provides on-going information for collectors about artists and artworks.
• Values artworks for insurance and undertakes annual updates of valuations.
• Is a registered valuer for the Commonwealth Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme.
• Appraises and assesses artworks with clients prior to auction and undertakes bidding on the clients' behalf.
• Advises on the hanging, lighting and installation of artworks in domestic and corporate environments.
• Prepares inventories
• Recommends on the sale/dispersal of artworks.
• Provides an art leasing /rental service.
• Offers conservation advice and arranges conservation treatment of artworks.
• Negotiates commissions of new work.
• Curates exhibitions.

APPOINTMENTS
Assistant curator, Vancouver Art Gallery (1973-75)
Director, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane (1975-9)
Australian Commissioner, Paris Biennale (1982)
Curator, National Touring Exhibition of Sidney Nolan Works on Paper (1983)
Founding Director of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne (1984-5)
Curator, Robert Mapplethorpe Exhibition (1986)
Curator, The Loti and Victor Smorgan Collection of Contemporary Australian Art (1989- 1995)
Corporate clients include Deutsche Bank, Bankers Trust, Potter Warburg, Ernst & Young, and the Government Superannuation Office.
Curator, The Michael Buxton Contemporary Art Collection, Melbourne 1998 - ongoing
Curator, Art Collection for the Westin Hotel, Melbourne 1999-2000
Curator, Nocturne Image