The ‘Merioola Group’ was an association of young creative types who were thrown together through communal life in a house, Merioola, in Sydney’s Darling Point between 1945 and 1950. Members of the group included Donald Friend, Loudon Sainthill, Justin O’Brien, Jocelyn Rickards and Arthur Fleischmann. The artists of the group exhibited at the Myer Gallery in Melbourne and the David Jones Gallery in Sydney in 1947. As various individuals left to travel and work overseas, the group disbanded. The art critic Robert Hughes characterised the work of the group as the ‘Charm School’, a label which has adhered. An exhibition of the Merioola Group’s work was held at the SH Ervin Gallery in 1986.
Alec Murray photographed a number of stage and ballet personalities in the 1940s. This photograph, showing the members of the Merioola Group in the first flowering of their careers, is the definitive image of the Group and is signed by many of the subjects.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Patrick Corrigan AM 2008
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program
Patrick Corrigan AM (123 portraits)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves: who we read, who we watch, who we listen to, who we cheer for, who we aspire to be, and who we'll never forget. The Companion is available to buy online and in the Portrait Gallery Store.
Portraits of philanthropists in the collection honour their contributions to Australia and acknowledge their support of the National Portrait Gallery.
Pat Corrigan's generous gift of 100 photographic portraits by Greg Weight.
