When the Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) reopens its doors to the public, visitors will see a lighter, more open space showcasing hundreds of recently commissioned artworks, and be able to take a new gold elevator that juts out of the existing building, up to a rooftop terrace.
It is all part of a bold bid to revitalise the gallery and bring visitors back through its doors (which have also been revamped to provide a more welcoming entrance) in increasing numbers.
The changes have been led by AGWA director Colin Walker who took over last year with a brief to reinvigorate the gallery.
"We know which direction we want to go in," Mr Walker said ahead of the relaunch.
"But we also know that how people engage in culture has just changed."
He said people needed an entrance portal that was open and welcoming, tempting them into the brutalist-style building that sits between the Perth train station and the Northbridge entertainment district.
The opening up of the rooftop level, something the architect Charles Sierakowski originally intended back in 1979, has also let a lot more natural light flood into every level of the building through the central stairwell.
Every light fitting has also been made over.
The art gallery has also relaxed its longstanding policy on taking photos inside the gallery and even people who come in only looking for a cool selfie background are welcome.
"I don't really care what reason makes people come through the doors," Mr Walker said.
"But I definitely want to know what will make them come back again.
"They're not going to come back if they can't share the experience.
On the rooftop, a bar will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights throughout the summer. The space will also host performance and music events and be available for hire during the week.
There is a sculpture garden that includes Der Rufer ("The Caller"), a former fixture of the gallery forecourt which had to be craned up to the top of the building.
The refresh continues inside on every level of the gallery, with two exhibitions, The View from Here and Collective Ground, focusing on West Australian and Indigenous artists, respectively.
Spearheaded by Ian Strange, who recently completed a 15-month term as guest artistic director at AGWA, the exhibitions aim to reconnect Perth audiences with the local artistic talent base.
"It is important that in this major moment of renewal for the gallery, it's not just about the building, but about the art and artists of WA," Mr Strange said.
Collective Ground was also in response to COVID-19 pandemic, with $1.5 million spent to purchase the new work.
"[When COVID hit] we felt as though we immediately needed to do something for the community, so we purchased works from every one of the Aboriginal art centres [in WA] and from individual Aboriginal artists where there wasn't a centre," Mr Walker said.
A further $2.3 million was spent on 111 commissions to WA artists, some to emerging artists like Tim Meakins, whose large-scale, playful sculptures fill the top floor space that leads out onto the rooftop.
Called Muscle Beach, the works are a bright-coloured series of stylised figures lifting weights and flexing muscles, inspired by the real-life Muscle Beach in Venice, Los Angeles.
Meakins said being given the commission by the state gallery was exciting and potentially life-changing.
"To be in this position is quite huge, because my background is not an arts background, my day job is graphic design, designing books, designing brands, not making physical art," he said.
"It's a really large moment in my career, to potentially being an artist rather than a graphic designer."
The complete refresh opens to the public this weekend and Mr Walker said he was keen to see the public response and planned to respond quickly, depending on what worked.
"I don't get nervous about these types of things, but I do get really excited," he said.
"If things are really failing at every single level, then then you change them, you've just got to be able to be flexible."
AGWA reopens to the general public on Saturday November 6 at 10, with a weekend program of events to celebrate.
