
Yesterday Gertrude Contemporary announced that it would move to a new space on High Street in Preston South when its current lease ends in June. A few years ago then-director Emma Crimmings flagged that the gallery would be forced to move. Gertrude Contemporary opened in Fitzroy in 1985 as 200 Gertrude, well-before the current gentrification that is opushing up rentals and will see this important site for contemporary art in Melbourne no doubt replaced by more bars, rastaurants and expensive clothing shops. Despite the announcement back in 2014 that Gertrude would become part of the planned Contemporary arts precinct at the old Collingwood Technical School site, this key space for contemporary art in Melbourne will now move further north to the ‘top end of Thornbury’ and into a purpose-built space. The final exhibition at 200 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, The End…