Peter Wegner donates three centenarian works to Benalla Art Gallery

Peter Wegner offered the portraits, depicting local centenarians Gene Fuleky, Bill Gregory and Sylvia Draeger, to the gallery this month, after his exhibition, The Centenarians, launched.

Director Eric Nash said the gifted works were a "real coup" for the gallery.

"This project is particularly special ... it's a really important discussion about ageing and how we support communities across Australia, particularly in the regions," he said.

"And Peter's investment in this community in the lead up to the exhibition was really special, so actually seeking out centenarians living in Benalla and meeting with them, drawing some beautiful portraits and then so generously gifting those works to the gallery collection, so they actually remain with the community forever more."

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Since he began the centenarian project in 2013, Wegner has completed up to 100 centenarian portraits, including a drawing of Guy Warren that was the genesis for the 2021 Archibald Prize-winning painting.

Wegner said the project gave a voice to the elderly, who were often forgotten, seen as a burden or not appreciated within society.

"There's no difference speaking to a 100-year-old as speaking to a 40-year-old or a 50-year-old, because inside that person is the voice of a 40-year-old or a 50-year-old," he said.

"There's a lovely quote from Oscar Wilde who says that 'the tragedy of old age is that we still believe we're young' and that is so true, we still believe we're young.

"I hope people go into that show and it's a realisation that here's these people's lives and they're still active and they're still connected to family and friends, I think that's important."

Wegner said there weren't huge differences between centenarians in Benalla compared with other areas.

"But everyone's got a different reason for living so long," he said.

"I can't say they're any different from anyone else, but everyone's story is different and everyone has a different purpose and meaning at arriving in where they have.

"And none of them ever thought they'd get to 100, I can tell you that."

Mr Nash said the exhibition so far had attracted Benalla residents.

"It's of local interest so we're seeing a lot of our own direct community coming to see the exhibition and see themselves reflected in it," he said.

The exhibition will close at the end of August.

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