At a staggering $1.8 million, the Barrett Bequest is the biggest financial gift we've received since the Gallery opened in 2003. And we had no idea it was coming...

In early 2010 Max Gimblett announced his intention to give the Gallery a substantial gift of works on paper. The only complication was that someone had to go and select them...

We've all heard the stories about confusions occurring on the edge where art meets life. The London cleaning lady, for instance, who threw out hundreds of cigarette butts that turned out to be a Damien Hirst. Naturally, no self-respecting gallery professional wants to see their favourite artworks confused with mere stuff.

Mark Strange, an old friend, rang me in May to discuss a gift that he and his partner Lucy Alcock wished to make to the Gallery.