Queensland Art Gallery Annual Report 1991-92

I NTERNAT IONAL PROGRAMS Promotion for the During the year five major international Education, Design, Promotions, Registration, exhibition 'Toulouse- exhibitions were presented. These included Administration, Library, Security, Conservation, Lautrec... included window and other Toulouse-Lautrec: Prints and Posters from the Publications, Corporate Liaison and Community displays in Myer Stores. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris', 'Seven Master Liaison. The Gallery's objective of providing Printmakers: Innovations in the Eighties' and 'The an environment in which creative ideas are Secret Treasures of Russia: One Thousand Years recognised is reflected in the quality of the staff of Gold and Silver from the State History support of these projects. Museum, Moscow'. Major Gallery-initiated Australia's first cultural exchange with the newly exhibitions were developed for future years, independent Russian Federation, the exhibition including the 'Asia-Pacific Triennial of 'Secret Treasures of Russia: One Thousand Years Contemporary Art' for 1993 and 'Matisse' for of Gold and Silver from the State History 1995. Preparations for all these exhibitions Museum, Moscow' was officially opened at the occupied a great deal of staff time in a number of Gallery on Tuesday 16 June by the Premier, the departments, including Exhibitions, Registration Hon. Wayne Goss, MLA. The first major and Promotions. exhibition of Russian decorative arts to visit the The Gallery's international program seeks to southern hemisphere, the project marked a present art exhibitions of excellence and respond significant step in the development of cultural I t o the considerableaudience demand whichwas relations between Russia and Australia. In articulated in the recent survey. The latter made recognition of the event's importance, the Russian s 1 ' clear that the Gallery's audiences, both Federation's First Deputy Minister of Culture, Dr metropolitan and regional, would like to see more Alekxander Shkurko, travelled to Brisbane to international exhibitions presented at the Gallery. represent his Government at the Opening. I U I The years international program reflected the Secret Treasures of Russia comprised 295 Gallery's increasingly important role in negotiating of the finest examples of Russian gold and silver and bringing to Australia international exhibitions craftsmanship from the vast collections of Russia's of great significance. The Gallery has also begun largest and oldest museum. Founded in 1872 by expanding its international programs into regional decree of Tsar Alexander Ill, the Museum now has areas of Queensland with projects underway to more than four million objects in its collections, explore exhibitions from South-East Asia. The including the definitive collection of Russian gold Gallery's international programs now also include and silver and the largest collection of Old Russian a focus on Asian art, both modern and historical, icons. The exhibition, which spanned more than Visiting international exhibitions 1000 years of artistic production, included tenth 'Toulouse-Lautrec: Prints and Posters from century works from the brilliant Kievan Rus the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris' (see separate period, and outstanding examples from medieval report) exemplifies the enhancement of the and modern times, both secular and ecclesiastical Gallery's profile nationally and internationally in nature. through recognition of programs of excellence, The exhibition was organised by Art particularly the quality of the catalogue and Exhibitions Australia Limited, established by scholarly symposium which complemented the the Australian Government in 1980 to organise exhibition. The Gallery's international profile was international touring exhibitions and cultural further enhanced by the support programs exchanges. Community response to this provided for international exhibitions by all exhibition and to the Gallery's strong education sections of the Gallery, including Exhibitions, program has been excellent. 28