Photograph by Tony Amos
Penelope Seidler was named Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) on 26th January for distinguished service to the visual arts as an administrator, patron and benefactor, to heritage preservation, to conservation and to architecture. Her influence on the cultural sector has been both sustained and wide-ranging. Over many years, Seidler has supported the arts as a patron, advocate and philanthropist, holding senior roles with major institutions in Australia and abroad.
These have included the National Gallery of Australia, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Venice Biennale. She continues her involvement as a member of the National Gallery of Australia Foundation.
In parallel with this institutional work, Seidler has actively supported emerging contemporary artists. She has also featured as the subject of two major portraits, including Fiona Lowry’s Penelope Seidler (2014), which won the Archibald Prize.
For almost five decades, Seidler was a crucial partner to her husband, the late Harry Seidler, contributing decisively to both the creative and operational life of the practice. She undertook architectural studies in order to work alongside him, later overseeing the financial management and direction of Harry Seidler & Associates. Together, they assembled a significant art collection and realised a series of landmark modernist buildings, including their own heritage-listed home in Killara.
Her appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia recognises a lifetime dedicated to culture, architecture and the public good, and affirms her standing as one of Australia’s most influential figures in the arts. Through her advocacy, philanthropy and longstanding commitment to education, architecture and contemporary art, Seidler’s impact will continue to be felt in Australia and internationally for generations to come.