Frances Tyler’s legacy continues

From Romania with love and a scholarship in honour.

In a red-walled room deep within the University of Tasmania’s historic School of Arts building on Hunter Street lies precious art from Romania, generously donated by Geoffrey and Frances Tyler. Opened in August by Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black, and attended by the Romanian Ambassador, H.E. Mr Radu-Gabriel Safta, the Tyler Gallery showcases the Tyler Collection. Featured are artworks and books from Romania and beyond, as well as the exhibition Lyric and Light: the Art of Corneliu Petrescu. Prominent in the Tyler Collection is Romanian artist Corneliu Petrescu, who became a close friend and introduced Geoffrey Tyler to his circle of artist peers. Corneliu guided Geoffrey in choosing quality and representative works for his growing collection. At the opening of the Tyler Gallery, Frances spoke by Zoom from the United States about how Geoffrey and Corneliu, who she described as heroes, met. She recounted a personal story regarding the foundations of the Collection, a painting of what Frances describes as “a little brown door”. Frances’s late husband was in Bucharest in 1973 representing the International Monetary Fund in negotiations with Romania’s Ministry of Finance. Geoffrey wanted some fresh air between meetings and was walking with a colleague when he spotted a painting in the window of a state-run art gallery in downtown Bucharest.

Launch of the Tyler Collection Image: Li Lai Frances said Geoffrey and his colleague, Alison, saw that there was one more work by the same artist in the gallery that they liked more. “Geoffrey, being a gentleman, let Alison have it and he came away with this little brown door,” Frances said. From that day, he became a collector and arranged to meet the artist. These were dark times in Romania, but it was Geoffrey’s friendship with Corneliu and his wife that would become the mainstay of all of their lives. University Registrar and Curator of Fine Art Collections Rachael Rose said, “The Collection is an extraordinary testament to the vision of a collector who captured the tension of immense cultural and political change in communist Romania.

“It represents a fascinating time capsule which has taken a serendipitous journey from Bucharest to Hobart via the collector’s home in Washington DC,” she said. In his speech at the Tyler Gallery opening, Professor Rufus Black said, “That someone with the international pedigree of Geoffrey – a Melburnian working for the International Monetary Fund, travelling the world, especially Eastern Europe, and living in Washington – thought that Tasmania is the place where his collection should be, demonstrates Geoffrey’s singular connection to this island, and what an island place like this makes possible.” It was a connection forged during Geoffrey’s time at school, and then during his Bachelor of Science at the University of Tasmania. He graduated from the University in 1949. The Tyler Collection includes paintings, works on paper, sculptures, icons, and ceramics. Most were created in the 20th century by artists from Europe, Australia and the US. However, the main focus is on Romanian artworks, collected from 1973 – 1987.

Professor Black paid heartfelt thanks to Geoffrey and Frances Tyler in his speech at the opening, emphasising the value of the connections that such a distinguished collection makes.

The Tyler Gallery showcases the Tyler Collection Image: Li Lai

“It is an extraordinary and transformative gift, we treasure it ... I am confident it will continue to make more of those connections, transform more lives and bring more stories into our world,” he said.

Frances Tyler’s significant connection with the University continues with her support through an access scholarship named after former Executive Director Advancement Kate Robertson. The endowed scholarship will assist a first year fine arts student for the full term of their degree, removing barriers to a world-class education, in this case in the arts, a fitting scholarship supported by Frances and matched with University funding. “Art stands alone among the giants of academe. It speaks its own language. I am honoured to endow this scholarship in Kate’s name,” Frances said.