Wendy Whitham received her first fan as a child from her aunt and uncle after they returned from a trip overseas, but it wasn’t until decades later that she started collecting fans herself. She started travelling for work in the 1990s and this marked the start of her collecting passion.

Why fans? Because they are beautiful objects; decorative, sometimes scented and made from a variety of materials including silk, cotton, bamboo, sandalwood or plastic. Wendy’s fan collection also incorporates objects decorated with fans or in the shape of fans, including stamps from various countries, serviettes and greeting cards. Peruse through the cabinets at CMAG and admire over 90 fans collected from all over the world.

Explore The Art of the Fan online catalogue for more about Wendy and her collection

Image:
A collection of fans from Wendy Whitham’s collection.
Credit: RLDI photography