Queensland Art Gallery Annual Report 2006-07

QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY ANNUAL REPORT 06–07 / collection 18 International Galleries The three spaces designated for the international collection — galleries 7, 8 and 9 — were reconfigured for the two-site opening. The works were installed to explore thematic arrangements anchored by key individual works. The Master of Frankfurt's Virgin and Child with Saint James the Pilgrim, Saint Catherine and the Donor with Saint Peter c.1496 and Tintoretto's Cristo risorgente (The risen Christ) c.1555 reveal to audiences a sense of the sacred, Blandford Fletcher's Evicted 1887 enriches the 'Victorian narrative' theme, and Pablo Picasso's La Belle Hollandaise 1905 traces the transition to modernity in art of the early twentieth century. displaying the collection (goma) The opening of new gallery spaces on the third level of the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) allowed the installation of a number of significant modern and contemporary works from the last 20 years of the Gallery's acquisitions program. International highlights included works by John Baldessari (United States) and William Kentridge (South Africa), and contemporary sculpture by Gabriel Orozco (Mexico), Tobias Putrih (Slovenia) and Roman Signer (Switzerland). Significant acquisitions by Australian artists Tracey Moffatt, Fiona Hall, John Citizen (aka Gordon Bennett), Peter Booth, Klaus Moje and Angelina Pwerle were also displayed. Artists represented in the Gallery's Asian and Pacific collections were also installed in the third-level galleries, and included work by Yayoi Kusama (Japan), Yasumasa Morimura (Japan), Takashi Murakami (Japan), Lee Ufan (South Korea/Japan), Shigeo Toya (Japan), NS Harsha (India), Kamin Lertchaiprasert (Thailand), Vasan Sitthiket (Thailand), Nam June Paik (Korea/United States), Ah Xian (China/Australia) and Michel Tuffery (New Zealand). Galleries 3.1 and 3.2 have been dedicated to the display of post-1970 Australian Indigenous art, and they feature significant sculptural works by Ken Thaiday Sr and Allson Edrick Tabuai, as well as a selection of art from Queensland's Cape York Peninsula — sculptures by Arthur Koo-ekka Pambegan Jr and Joe Ngallametta, pots by renowned ceramic artist Thanakupi, fibre work by Wilma Walker and Dorothy Short, and shields by Michael Boiyool Anning — all of which featured in the Gallery's 2003 exhibition 'Story Place: Indigenous Art of Cape York and the Rainforest'. Documenting and Managing the Collection The Registration section maintained its role in the physical and legal management of the Collection, of objects on loan to the Gallery, and of objects under consideration for acquisition. The transition to a two-site institution involved a period of sustained activity for the section. The selection of modular storage equipment and the planning of the layout of the Collection storage facility at GoMA were completed, with flexibility of use and access for a growing Collection being the main objectives. Preparation and packing of Collection material for relocation to GoMA was undertaken so that works could remain on display until the Gallery closed to the public in August 2006. Following the temporary closure, packing was then prioritised to allow access to particular works for conservation treatment and for photography and colour-checking of images for Gallery publications. The first phase of Collection movement was limited to objects required for opening displays in the new building, and was prioritised according to the schedule of installation of display galleries. Some 24 objects were lent from the Collection to regional, national and international galleries for exhibitions. These included the loan of Simryn Gill's Forest (portfolio) 1996, printed 1998 and Forking tongues 1992 to 'Perspectives: Simryn Gill' at the Arthur M Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (September 2006 – April 2007); Vivan Sundaram's The Sher-Gil archive 1995–97 to 'Amrita Sher-Gil: The Story of an Indian Artist Family' at the Haus der Kunst, Munich (October 2006 — January 2007); and five paintings by Arthur Streeton and Tom Roberts to 'Australian Impressionism' at the National Gallery of Victoria (March–July 2007). A total of 223 objects were on loan to Queensland Government offices as at 30 June 2007. Some 469 objects were received on loan for exhibition purposes, including works for the 'Making it Modern: The Watercolours of Kenneth Macqueen' exhibition and items from Afghanistan, China, England, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Korea, Thailand, United States and Vietnam for APT5. A total of 262 objects were received for consideration for acquisition and included items from Austria, Belgium, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, United States and Vietnam. The stocktake of the Collection continued during the reporting period. Spencer Finch United States b.1962 Atlantic Ocean (morning effect) 7-14-02 2002 Watercolour 57 x 76cm Purchased 2007