Queensland Art Gallery Annual Report 1997-98

British Art from the Collection' highlighted the Queensland Art Gallery's extensive holdings of both historical and contemporary British art. Works on display included the Gallery's first purchase in 1895, Blandford Fletcher's Evicted, through to its most recent purchases of a study for Frederick Goodall's The Holy Mother and a village scene by Blandford Fletcher. The official opening on 15 August coincided with the launch of the publication British Painting 1800-1990 in Australian and New Zealand Public Collections by Peter Tomory and the Gallery's Curator of Prints, Drawings and Photographs, Anne Kirker. Rehanging the Collection A focus of work of Exhibitions and Cultural Development staff was the reinstallation of the Gallery's permanent collection display. This major undertaking was coordinated by the Assistant Director (Curatorial and Collection Development) and the Head, Design and Installation. This large-scale logistical project was the outcome of an extensive interdisciplinary consultative process, which also took into account the comments of our visiting publics. Exhibitions development Gallery staff undertook preparation for 'This Other Eden: British Paintings from the Paul Mellon Collection at Yale', an exhibition organised by the Yale Center for British Art in association with Art Exhibitions Australia Limited, which will tour to Queensland in July 1998. The Gallery is also developing an exhibition of exceptional Indonesian historical gold objects dating from the seventh to the early twentieth centuries. Organised by the Queensland Art Gallery in association with the National Museum in Jakarta, the exhibition will reveal to Australian audiences a highly sophisticated Indonesian culture. The exhibition has attracted high level support, and its importance has been recognised by both the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Australia, H. E. Mr Sastrohandoyo Wiryono, and H. E. Mr J. P. McCarthy, Ambassador of Australia in Indonesia, who have lent their assistance to the exhibition. The Gallery is also in the early stages of preparing for a major exhibition scheduled for 2001 of works from the age of the Enlightenment in the mid-eighteenth century to the beginnings of Romanticism in the early nineteenth century. The Third Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art The Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art is now acknowledged internationally as a world cultural event. The Third Asia-Pacific Triennial, which has been conceived with the working title of 'Beyond the Future', will open on 9 September 1999 and continue until 26 January 2000. This Triennial will build on the national and international success of the First and Second Triennials which attracted audiences of 60 000 and 120 000 respectively. Considerable planning and preparation for the Third Triennial was undertaken during the year. The Gallery's commitment to a process of extensive consultation and collaboration nationally and internationally is reflected in the Triennial's curatorial structure. There are five curatorial teams, consisting of Australian curators, international co-cu rators and advisors. Four teams are regionally-based (East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Pacific and Australia) and the fifth team, Crossing Borders, will focus on works by 'globally mobile' artists, interdisciplinary works and works created through collaborations. A successful series of preliminary meetings for curatorial teams took place during February. During the year curatorial travel, funded by a significant grant from the Australia Council, was undertaken to Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, The Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and New Caledonia. Curatorial team members met with co-cu rators, writers and academics, and interviewed over 200 artists. As well as funding from the State Government and a major grant from the Australia Council, the Third Triennial has also received a grant from the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) for a Virtual Triennial component. The Triennial Project Team coordinated the publishing of the conference papers for the Second Triennial, and the Second Triennial slide kits. A Bulletin was translated into ten languages. General The Exhibitions subprogram continued its involvement with rotations of the Collection, appraisal of exhibition proposals, programming and project management - including indemnity applications and contracts to accompany the exhibitions - and extensive design and display initiatives associated with all exhibitions. As well as presenting numerous successful exhibitions during the year, the Exhibitions subprogram has renewed its commitment to staff training on several levels. As part of a wider Gallery initiative, the appointment of a graduate trainee through the TEAME traineeship program has enabled a more specific training process at the entry level of museum management. Trainees have also been taken on in the Curatorial, Registration, Special Projects and Arts Administration sections, and trainees from all sections attend the formal staff training conducted by Exhibitions staff. This is a structured training program, designed specifically to train the Protection and Services Officers who comprise the Installation Teams. It forms a core element in the professional development of the trainees, and provides a common base from wh ich to develop required skills. Sessions include subjects such as correct art handling procedures, workplace health and safety, lighting techniques, and many other aspects of museum practice. This promotes multiskilling in staff members, improves efficiency in museum work practices, and provides an opportunity for the Installation Teams to engage with other professional staff in an open forum. 16 •eft kebc:tna art st Seisek· llmernura from Sydney (rigl t: w,.~ M, YuK o Sugano. C msu1 General f~r Japar , Queensland, 1n frof"lt of Mr Umemura's cre.Jti1 n n ·e 'L ving ~ul~ure' ex:-iibitinn 3t thP ')uPPm1dnd Art G<"le,v. ~ight ~r C,01 g Hai. ')ire,·~c r. Quceosiard A,t Galle,y, at the cpering · ·'the Outbac• ~egional Galle,v at the Waltzirg Mat,ld. C•n•·e, W1ri~c..n.