Twenty-twelve was a big year for Australian art museums with a number of major institutions acquiring works by Australian and international artists including Henri Matisse, Yayoi Kusama, Gimhongsok, Rodney Glick, and Guan Wei.

At the beginning of 2012 the Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art took ownership of a rare flower sculpture created by leading international contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama, thanks to a very generous benefactor.

The National Gallery of Victoria acquired two sculptures by Guan Wei titled Up in the Clouds #1 and Up in the Clouds #2.  Both sculptures are a continuation of the artist's sell-out “Cloud” sculptures of 2009.

The acquisition of Matisse’s Oceania, the sea by the National Gallery of Australia was perhaps the most celebrated acquisition of 2012.  The work was a generous and insightful gift to the Gallery by Tim Fairfax AM, who recognised the long-held desire to reunite the work with its pair at the Gallery.

To see the top ten Australian art museum acquisitions click the slideshow