Queensland Art Gallery Annual Report 2002-03

HIGHLIGHTS & ACHIEVEMENTS Record attendances _Nearly 450 000 people visited the Gallery - the highest annual attendance since World Expo '88. International acclaim - APT 2002 _The 'Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art 2002' (APT 2002) - the fourth exhibition in the Queensland Art Gallery's flagship contemporary art series - was an outstanding success, attracting 220 000 visitors and consolidating the Triennial's status as a major event on the national and international arts calendar. Queensland Gallery of Modern Art _Architectus + Davenport Campbell were formally commissioned by the Queensland Government to design the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, and significant advances were made in the design and development of site infrastructure for the new building. _Pilot programs for the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, such as 'Kids' APT Summer Spectacular', the children's exhibition 'Colour' and the APT 2002 Opening Events, were major successes. _Human human - lotus, cloisonne figure 1 2000-01 by Chinese-Australian artist Ah Xian, one of the most significant figurative sculptures of recent years, was purchased by the Queensland Art Gallery. _Key appointments were secured for the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, including that of Head of Cinema. Innovative programming for children and families _The Gallery continued to be recognised as an international leader in presenting innovative museum– based learning programs for children. _As an integral part of APT 2002, 'Kids' APT' presented four major interactive art works for children commissioned from APT artists. Nearly 250/o of people attending APT 2002 attended as a family group. 4 _The culmination of 'Kids' APT', the 15-day children's festival 'Kids' APT Summer Spectacular', attracted more than 50 000 people in the most ambitious and successful children's program ever staged at the Gallery. _The major children's exhibition, 'Colour', combined some of the best examples of contemporary art from the Gallery's Collection with innovative exhibition design and educational strategies that presented a sophisticated and engaging exhibition with appeal for all ages. Developing youth audiences _Young people had access to ongoing programs - including the major multi-arts event 'Prime Two' attended by 4000 people on 5 April 2003 - that supported and fostered young artists, encouraged participation in the arts by young people, and promoted youth arts in a broad range of mainstream and arts media. Supporting Indigenous Queensland artists and arts workers _Four trainees successfully completed the traineeship program, in conjunction with the forthcoming exhibition 'Story Place: Indigenous Art of Cape York and the Rainforest', and secured ongoing employment in the arts industry. _One of the 'Story Place' trainees was subsequently named regional winner, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year, at the Queensland Training Awards. Fourteen art works were commissioned from contemporary Indigenous artists from Cape York Peninsula for inclusion in the 'Story Place' exhibition, and as acquisitions for the Gallery's Collection. clockwise from top left: View of the Watermall during the official opening of APT 2002, September 2002. A larger-than-life Bug Master proved a hit at the 'Kids' APT Summer Spectacular' held from 11 to 25 January 2003. He is pictured here with the young volunteer narrators, puppeteers and musicians who assisted artist Heri Dono in presenting the Summer Spectacular Finale. Photograph:Lukas Davidson Trish Johnson, Project Officer and Community Trainee Coordinator (left) with 'Story Place' interns Krystle Sutherland and Tony Albert. Photograph: Matthew Kirkegaarde Children enjoying the 'Colour' exhibition. Photograph: Matthew Kassay Architect's impression of the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art at Kurilpa Point, opening 2006. Image courtesy of Architectus, Sydney.