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

Wind}' start to $28 ITlil. gallery By DES PARTRIDGE AFTER seven speeches, a special fanfare played by six red– coated Army band trumpeters, and the release of hundreds of multi-colored balloons, the $28 million Queensland Art Gallery officially opened its doors yesterday. More than 900 guests al the 2.30 c11y tower blocks on the northern bank p.m. opening were made acutely of the river. . . aware of the ~allery's South Bank Chants by a group of Abonginal and riverside locauon as 27 knot wester- European protesters 1n Melbourne ly winds whipped the a rea during Street o~lside the_g_allery plaza. area, the 45-min. ceremony. demanding Abor1~1nal land rights. . were kepi up w11h d1fficul1y because of After the opening by the Pre- the blustery winds. The wind carried mier, Mr Bjelke-Pcterscn, on the the protest away from the guests. steps of the galle~y·s main entrance, The chanting stopped as the ceremo• guests moved tnstde while the Dep- ny began, but resumed when Mr uty Premier, Dr Edwards, unveiled Bjelke-Petersen started 10 speak. the S120,000 Art Gallery Fou~da- Fireworks signalled the first publ ic 1100 purchase, Rubens' " Portrait of session al the gallery between six and a Young Woman," which was hav- nine o'clock last night. ing its first Brisba ne showing. Guided tours of the new building will Mr Bjelke-Peterscn said the be available today, with the gallery magnificent gallery building, Stage o_pcn from 10 a.m. 10 5 p.m. Demorystra- 1 of the Queensla nd Cultural Cen- 11ons of Japanese pollery techmques ire which will include a performing will be given between 10.30 a.m. and arts centre, a museum, and the 12 • 30 p.m. stale library, was a rewa rd for the hard work of the past in Queens– land. The building underlined Queens– land's progress in so many ways, a progress made poss ible by the farmers, pioneers and explorers. "It's a building the equal of any art gallery in the nation," he said. The vision of the art gallery and cultural centre had been before Queenslanders for a long time, but he said nothing worthwhile was achieved easily or quickly. Five exhibitions The gallery, about' one km south of where the first Queensland art collec– tion was assembled in 1895 in the old Queen Street Town Hall building. comprises 15 separate galleries and is hosting five international exhibitions to mark its opening. The Arts Minister, Mr Ellioll, said the gallery would renect both the best and the worst in Queensland - and . Australia', - society. "In its time, it will perhaps shock, amuse, exhilarate, confuse, perhaps even disgust Its audi– ence - or outrage Queenslanders' col– lective sense of what is just and decent and filling. But that's what art must do, and what an art gallery must not fail 10 do," he said. THE Premier, Mr Bjelk~Petersen, performs the opening ceremony•. He hoped the new gallery would not be simply a prell y place dis· laying pretty things, but a dynam i'c ever• changing place that Queenslanders in the next century would go lo for stimu– lation, spiritual replenishment and in– tellectual reward. THE chilly winds dispersed a shower of baloons released oulslde lhe gallery yesterday. He SRid the arguments against mon– ey being spent on cultural pursuits such as the new gallery failed 10 recognise that governments had to cater for the spiritual as well as the physical needsof citizens, for 1hr. q nlity of their lives and not merelyfor their material needs. Artistic judgments Mr Ellioll said nations were judged by 1heir an . .. No mailer how manyvic– rnnes 1hc,r armies win. how great their sponi ng prowess, or their scientific break -1hroug hs, it's their artis tic achievements that endure," he said. The Works Minister, Mr Wharton, said the gallery was for al l Queenslan– ders. and ex1ension and education ser– vices would rnake its fac ilities available to the entire commun ity. Elaboratesecurity checks were made before the opening because of the posi– tion of the ceremon ), ,n clear view of Crowds flock to opening BRISBANE people pairl an over– whelming tribute to the Queensland Art Gallery by nncklng to Its opening night. An estimated 8000 people visiled the i:allery last night. The public re– sponse surprised authorities who had to close the doors sevnal times he– cause the gallery was overcrowded. People queued outside the gallery before the 6 p.m. opening time. By 7 p.m. the gallery WIIS full and ushers bad to close the doors from time to time, waiting until visitors went outside before lellin& more peo– ple in. Most Orst-nl11hters appeared to be under 30 and many parents took their young children to see a spectacular IO-min. Oreworks display wh1ch 'her– alded the offh:lal public opening. Crowds lined the Brisbane Rher banks and bridges 10 see the display. There were some lramc problem· after the opening. By mid-e•enin~ there were no car parking' space~ "ilhin a kilometre of lhe gallery. The gallery promotions orncer, M, Jane Whiteoak, said the public re– sponS(' was beller lhan expected. Fur• ther luge crowds hue ,been Jll'edicte<t for the resl or 1he week ,s ·t11ere an· se,eral popular exbibitloas. I