Exclusive gifts

With an ever-expanding range of specialty ACU Art Collection merchandise, the shop is a great source of gift ideas. Highlights include religious and secular items, as well as boutique cultural keepsakes.

We offer interesting and diverse items, including our recent publications ACU Art Collection: A new perspective, ACU Art Collection: First Impressions and ACU Art Collection: Contemporary visions featuring highlights from the university's art collection with accompanying essays by scholars, arts writers and commentators.

We also have in stock useful notepads highlighting the magnificent oil and tempera on softwood Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist, c.1490, by Matteo di Giovanni (c.1428-95, Italy), and gorgeous greeting card gift sets featuring highlights from the university's art collection. Take a browse:

Contemporary visions: works from the ACU Art Collection

Contemporary visions: works from the ACU Art Collection focuses on modern and contemporary works in the collection, all of which have been produced since 1950. It features examples of the work of sixty esteemed artists, mainly but not solely from Australia, whose practice ranges over painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, glass, ceramics and more. The artists represented in the volume include Howard Arkley, Janet Laurence, Fiona Foley, Arthur Boyd, Inge King, Tim Johnson and Imants Tillers.

Image Cover by Chris Orr, Motherboard Portal (Verde), 2019 (detail) archival pigment ink on rag, H 60 x W 50.5 cm
Published by Australian Catholic University, (ACU) 2022, pp 119.
Managing editor; Caroline Field, Curator, ACU Art Collection

Download Contemporary visions Press release

Order now Price: $45.00

What people are saying about our recent publication:

"We received the third volume in your publication series of your art collection at the ACU, titled Contemporary Visions. We feel privileged to have all three volumes in our library. Like yourself and the ACU, we are strong believers that art expresses ideas which forces us to think about the world we live in. In many ways the essays accompanying the works in this publication attempt to draw out meaning contained in the works. Admittedly the interpretation is the subjective view of the writer, but at least it will be a prompt for conversation and reflection."

Charles and Leah Justin, Directors, Justin Art House Museum

"I was ever so touched to receive a copy of the ACU's magnificent hard bound book in the post this morning. The standard of this publication and indeed the overall collection is an absolute credit to you and the institution. Well done! Once our team has had the opportunity to peruse we will add it to the Menzies Reference Library with absolute pride. You are truly a great friend of our business."

Cameron Menzies, Chairman and Head of Private Sales, Menzies Art Auctions

"What a lovely surprise, to receive Contemporary Visions in the mail today. Thank you so much, and heartiest congratulations on such a beautifully produced publication!"

Ted Gott, Senior Curator, International Art, NGV

"I will circulate this wonderful publication to the curatorial team who will find it is of immense interest and importance. ACU has developed an incredibly impressive collection of contemporary art, photography and decorative arts and it's great to read about the collection through texts by some excellent writers."

Jacqui Strecker, Head of Curatorial, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences

ACU Art Collection: First impressions

Selected Indigenous works from the ACU Art Collection

Highlights from the university collection are here elucidated by 33 Indigenous and non-Indigenous authors from various academic, visual arts and ACU backgrounds, each bringing their knowledge, experience and cultural perspective to bear. This richly illustrated publication presents remarkable works of art by established and emerging First Nations artists, spanning traditional bark and dot paintings as well as contemporary works in diverse media, such as acrylic, print, photographic, fibre and glass.

Image Cover by Karen Mills, Untitled, 2019, pigment and synthetic polymer paint on canvas, H 51 x W 64 cm
Published by Australian Catholic University, (ACU) 2021, pp 99.
Managing editor; Caroline Field, Curator, ACU Art Collection

Download First Impressions Press release (PDF, 56KB)

Order now Price: $45.00

What people are saying about our recent publication:

"Congratulations and thank you for the new book! The visuals are truly beautiful and capture the essence of Indigenous Spirituality of our art. Our university is blessed. I felt that the images and narratives within, invites the reader to 'be still' and engage with this beauty. As ACU looks towards a deeper cultural change and embedding of Indigenous voices. This book attests that rich and meaningful dialogue is taking place."

Jane Ceolin, Director | First Peoples, Australian Catholic University

ACU Art Collection: A new perspective

A richly illustrated publication featuring highlights from the ACU Art Collection with accompanying essays by scholars, arts writers and commentators.

Published by Australian Catholic University, (ACU) 2020, pp 120.
Managing editor; Caroline Field, Curator, ACU Art Collection

Download A new perspective Press release (Word, 55KB)

Order now Price: $49.99, case-bound | $45.00, without case

What people are saying about our recent publication:

Read book review from Art Almanac magazine

Read book review by Margaret Pont

"I would like to warmly thank you for asking me to contribute to the splendid monograph highlighting the ACU collection, 'A New Perspective', and for all the hard work you undertook over a long time putting it together. The result is magnificent and I am so happy to be in such good company! It is great to see just what a significant collection of art, both traditional and contemporary, that we have across our campuses. I eagerly anticipate volume two down the track!"

Alasdair Macintyre
Associate lecturer, visual arts,
National School of Arts (QLD)
Australian Catholic University

"Very elegantly put together and such a great document of the artistic riches of ACU."

William Nuttall
Director, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne

"I would like to convey how delighted I am with the publication A New Perspective. It's beautifully produced and accessible to a general audience as well as maintaining the highest scholarly standards. It is a wonderful representation of the treasures held in the Australian Catholic University Art Collection and I commend your enterprise and insight in putting it all together. I was very pleased and grateful to have contributed entries on two superb medieval artworks."

Dr Hilary Maddocks
Associate, Art History, University of Melbourne