Queensland Art Gallery Annual Report 1996-97

national collections (including works from the Queensland Art Gallery's Other highlights included major Australian and international exhibitions Collection), and works from the Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu, Japan and the initiated by the Gallery, ranging from the vast and internationally acclaimed Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Covering a wide range of art 'Second Asia-Pacific Triennial . . ' t o the Collection-based exhibition styles, the exhibition included works by Paul Gauguin, Claude Monet, 'Gainsborough to Gilbert and George: British Art from the Collection'. Pierre-August Renoir, Paul Cezanne, Vincent van Gogh and Henri de The latter marked the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the British Toulouse-Lautrec, amongst others, as well as paintings by the great Salon Council in Australia. and academic painters of the day. Art nouveau jewellery and fashion items, as well as architectural pieces by Hector Guimard, the creator of the 'Four Centuries of Ukiyo-e Prints', a survey of Japanese woodblock famous entrances to the Paris Metro, were on display. printmaking, and 'Marks and Moments: Paintings by Gordon Shepherdson', a timely survey of the works of this important Queensland artist, were The Queensland Art Gallery and the National Gallery collaborated to other Gallery-initiated exhibitions. develop a comprehensive education program that explored aspects of cultural, social and political life in Paris during the I 890s. Materials and Thematic displays from the Collection were also an important part of the activities in the program included a CD-ROM kit for schools, a children's exhibition program. These included 'Melbourne Tonalism' and 'Figuring activities trail, art workshops for children and adults, a comprehensive Modernism: The Human Image in Australian Modern Art 1920-1950'. lecture program, and a study day. A teachers night was held to familiarise teachers with the content of the exhibition. Film programs were developed, 'Pat Hoffe: Fully Exploited Labour', a Gallery 14 installation, featured works including a new initiative—an evening program of feature films screened inspired by three iconic Australian paintings from the Collection, interpreted in the Sculpture Courtyard. The Paris by Twilight film program attracted within the context of contemporary Filipino society. A Collection display over 300 visitors. Through the Gallery's school bookings program, of the works of contemporary Japanese artist Eiichi Tanaka and Thai artist approximately 15 000 students from primary and secondary institutions Prawat Laucharoen foreshadowed the presentation of the Gallery's second saw the exhibition, including 3 451 who took advantage of the free guided Triennial. tours offered to booked school groups. The Triennial is now established as an event of international importance. The Gallery implemented an extensive promotions and marketing campaign Exhibitions staff liaised extensively with the artists to advise and assist them for the exhibition, which encompassed local advertising and publicity, as with their projects, particularly in relation to acquisition of special materials well as community and sponsors' promotions. The newspaper and magazine and the development of ideas. Preparations included the construction of advertising campaign was complemented by the generous support by models of artists' installations to facilitate the exhibition's design. Many of sponsors Channel Seven (television) and the Austrolian Magazine. the installations were technically complex, requiring extensive research and construction. One of the works, PACIFIC: The ant farm project 1996, The exhibition's Paris shop stocked a wide selection of merchandise to by the Japanese artist Yukinori Yanagi, involved the installation of two living complement the exhibition, including paper products featuring works from ant colonies, under the supervision of Queensland Museum personnel. the exhibition, the exhibition catalogue, and craft items specially commissioned for the shop. The Café Montmartre offered Gallery visitors light refreshments The materials assembled for the exhibition included rice, ash, palm fronds, with a Parisian theme. steel, timber, taro, bamboo, mirrors, soil, glass, slide projectors, flowers, computers, water, wax and aluminium. The 'Paris. . . ' exhibition was made possible through the generous sponsorship of Peugeot, the exhibition's major sponsor, and additional The installation of the Triennial and its maintenance over four months was national sponsorship provided by the Australian Magazine, QANTAS, Art undertaken by a highly professional team of dedicated temporary personnel, Indemnity Australia and Channel Seven. The exhibition was supported which included people working in the Gallery's Workshop and with locally by the Brisbane Hilton and B I OSFM. Protection and Services, and several local artists and art students. Exhibitions 'Paris . . . ' was displayed in six connecting galleries, and an exhibition shop The Gallery presented a number of significant exhibitions during the year was also installed. This vast exhibition necessitated the use of the Gallery's from several prestigious sources. These included: 'Arthur Streeton 1867- demountable wall system in its entirety, and additional sections were 1943', organised by the National Gallery of Victoria; 'Paris. .', organised constructed for special purposes such as entrances for school groups. The by the National Gallery of Australia in association with the Musée d'Orsay, Gallery's exhibition furniture, crowd control barriers, ticket sales counters Paris; and 'Prints and Drawings of the Weimar Republic: Germany 19 18- and sculpture plinths were refurbished, and a new security alarm system 1933', organised by the Art Gallery of Western Australia in association was designed and installed. with the Gäethe-lnstitut. The 1997 Moët & Chandon Touring Exhibition also featured a complementary display to honour the tenth anniversary The Gallery fulfilled its commitment to maximising presentation of the of the establishment of the Moët & Chandon Award. Collection, through three rotations of its works on paper, enabling up to