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

, ... The Courier-Mail 23 June 1982 'Sh_9\/rt.iflg .. of Joh' attracts . ~ . politica'I flak THE hanging of a portrait of the Premier, Mr · Bjclkc-Pctcrsen, in the foyer of the new $28 .mil- · lion Queensland Art Gallery drew criticisf"ll •Yes- · terday from the State Opposition ,arts· spokes– man, Mr Warburton. Mr Warburton said he was astoni~hcd to find the portrait - _painted by eight-time Archibald Prize winner Sir William Dargie -, in si.ich 'a· prominent position in the gallery. "It's practically the first thing a visitor .fo the gallery sees when he walks throdgh .lhc doors,'.'. Mr Warburton said. "What arc th'e•.t,npli<;;ltjons,. :. of its positionothere?" Information near the painting, on the easlern ., side of the main vestibule, say$ it js on loan·~<fthe gallery from the Premier. · · · A painting by Leonard· French, "Autumn in the Garden", is on the opposite waJI. . The Bjelkc-Pcterscn portrait was en'tercd by Sir William Dargie in last year's Archibald Prize competition, but was unsuccessful. A spokesman for Mr Bjclke-Pcterseri said yes– terday the painting had been lent to the gallery as part of the opening celebrations. The gallery director, Mr Raoul Mellish, was unavailable for comment yesterday. MRS DENISE BRIEN, or Fig Tree Pocket, with the portrait or the Premier, Mr Bjelke-Petersen, in the Art Gallery foyer. ----------------