Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 10 : Record of press coverage, March 1982 - May 1984

Th e Dail y Sun 2 4 Ma r ch 1984 • PAGE -51x li:i1a,,.q:,i:,i:c111;1:JfJ't,i 1 i:t a:i1:1,1,:,1:iwf.. tH®•¥i=tJ;t-8•=t•tN•i1ran CHILDLIKE ART FINDS ITS HOME IF JOU know anJthin, about Git, rebel French painter Jean Dubuffet wauld not expect JOU to like his work. Dubuflet has the Ironic distinction or h,vlng made a fortune out or his rebellion against the crari or what he calls the "proreulonal artist", The Queensland Art Oallery Is believed to have paid a live-figure sum for Its newest ac– quisition, a 1976 Oubur– ret, which went on dis- . play yesterday. : The painting, called Le : Bivouac, might seem to : many people to be the : sort or thing their chll– : dren could paint. ,: DubuUet might agree. · Psychotics , , . According to Jenny :• Harper, the gallery's :: European art curator, :. Oubuflet has always : been a great admlrh or :: the work or chµdren . :- While art !ans chased ..l.:_: the work or established . artists. Oubullet's early ::-collection was bued al– i most 'entirely on the :I work or children and Gallery buys a Dubuffet psychotics. paintings which he and his friends purc)lued at market stalls· and, presumably. mental Institutions. Dubullet regarded the untrained work as more s pontaneous and closer to reality than the highly refined and esoteric traditions or the art es– tablishment. "It's very exciting to have It," Ms Harper said yesterday. "A lot or people will find It chal– lenging. but I !Ind It very cheerful. "He's always been a thorn In the side or the llrt world and this is cer– tainly a radical work. but there Is no doubt It makes people think." The Arts Minister. Mr McKechnle, said the painting was the latest of several Important contemporary works purchased recently. Mr McKechnie said he expected the painting would be the locus for "lively discussion". Culture Neither Mr McKt:ehl\le nor art gallery souri!es would reveal the price paid !or Le Bivouac. but it Is understood to be well In e~cess ol '20,000. Onllery director Mr Rnoul Mellish said Du– bul!et, now 82, had con– sistently and vlgorou1ly _ rejected socially accep– ted art culture and re– rused to paint In a "pleasing" way. .J