If someone asked you to picture the offices of Insolvency Accountants, you’re likely to imagine something on the darker side. Perhaps you visualize the reception area housing a small cage to keep the insolvent in.

Not so for Ferrier Hodgson, an Insolvency and Forensic Accountancy firm in Adelaide’s CBD. Over the past six months they have spent an enormous effort redoing their interiors (and removing the cage). So important was this reinvention, they even moved some of their walls. When their gleaming new office was ready they decided it needed artwork to compliment it.

The bronze sculpture on the left is by South Australian sculptor Tim Thomson

Here they faced a dilemma; whatever they chose would stay there for years, and someone was bound to dislike it. Even the best artwork can’t remain fresh forever. So back to the gleaming white walls? No, they decided to rent art for their premises from an Adelaide firm, ART LOGIC.

Choosing artwork can be a fraught experience. Ferrier Hodgson could have given one staff member the job of choosing the art …but what if they, surveying the reception area had announced: “It needs more sheep’s intestines, and over there we can have the enameled wheatbix sculpture. It will look simply divine!” Alternatively, Ferrier Hodgson could have chosen the safe and easy option of asking the experts at ART LOGIC to suggest an exhibit.

Instead, they formed an art committee and they chose the art. The team members went to ART LOGIC’s website to see what was available. ART LOGIC has a portfolio of around 900+ artworks to choose from. The art for sale and rent belongs to the artists and clients pay the artists a rental fee. This scheme provides artists with a source of income as well as the opportunity to sell their artwork. So by renting art, Ferrier Hodgson are supporting artists and giving back to the community.
Each Ferrier Hodgson team member wrote a list of the pieces they’d like to see hanging around their office. Then they had many, many discussions; it was a vigorous team-building exercise. Even if most people aren’t that aware of art, we all have our preferences. The advantage of renting over owning is that even if someone doesn’t like some of the pieces selected, it doesn’t matter – in six months they’ll be getting something new.

The 13 artworks they chose challenge our stereotypes of accountants. Their choice was progressive and even challenging. They’ve dared install bold pieces that other clients found too audacious.

These are some of the 13 works that are exhibited in their offices right now:

This painting is hanging in their boardroom

An artwork their art committee chose for their meeting room

I don’t think they can be called conservative!