Frank makes valuable art donation to NGA

The National Gallery of Australia has received its most valuable donation from a living artist in almost four decades.

Contemporary Australian artist Dale Frank, 55, has gifted a collection of paintings, drawings and multimedia collages valued at $4 million, gallery director Ron Radford said on Friday.

"Included in the gift is an outstanding, greatly sought after group of recent paintings," Mr Radford said.

There are also many lesser known works by Frank who has received both Australian and international acclaim.

The artist said the time is right for him to make the donation, which he hopes will help sustain cultural life.

"The group of works covers a period of 32 years, from massive drawings seen only in Italy and New York between 1980 and 1982, to the paintings produced for the 2010 Sydney Biennale," Frank said.

Some of the works donated by Frank are already on display at the gallery and others will be featured as a part of special exhibits.

It is the most significant donation to the gallery by a living artist since a 1975 gift by fellow Australian artist Arthur Boyd which comprised several thousand works including pastels, sculptures, ceramics, etchings, tapestries, paintings and drawings.