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

•' ,– ' The Courier-Mail 2 7 May 1982 ~rt gallery to i~ i 1 open next month By DES PARTRIDGE THE $20 million first stage of the new South Bank performing arts complex, which will house the Queensland Art Gallery, will be opened to the public from June 21. There is no water yet in the vast The gallery director, Mr Raoul water mall, about the size of an Mellish, said five international Olympic swimming rool. The exhibitions would be mounted in kites, which arc upectcd to ny the gallery before the opening - over the mall, are not yet finished treasures from the Idemitsu Mu- and there arc some tacky-looking scum of Arts in Tokyo, the Kan- curtains on view from the mall, dinsky exhibition on loan from the but the gallery generally looks su - Guggenheim. Museum in New .pcrb. York, drawings and water colors The water mall area, below the from the Fitzwilliain Museum in entrance level, is covered by a Cambridge, Renaiuancc bronzes 12 m by 36 m skylight and is from the Victoria and·Albert Mu- reached by escalators. scum, London, Renaissance The gallery's own substantial bronzes and drawings from the collection of Australian and world Ashmolcan Museum in Oxford, art has never had a venue as and paintings by Edward Hopper grand. . from the Whitney Museum in There will be IS separate gal- New York. lcrics 1howing pieces ·from the tale's own collections, plus five With the Queensland Art Gal- ernational exhibitions, when lery Foundation having spent 'lie public is admitted to the gal- $2,800,000 already to buy major tery for the first t.ime at 6 p.m. on art works for the new gallery, Mr June 21, a few hours after the Pre- Mellish caused speculation ycs- mier, Mr Bjelke-Pciersen, has de- tcrday with the news than a new clared the gallery complex open. purchase - "a painting which A special fanfare will be writ- was one of the glories or Europe'.' ten for the occasion, ~nd a fire- - would be unveiled by the Dcp, works display on the',Brisbanc uty Premier. Dr Edwards, at the River at night will mar~the event. official opening. The gallery, with 4700 sq m of The new gallery, the fifth home 0oor space on a riumber of levels. for the Queensland Art G.allery will .have extended •hours for the since it was founded in 1895 in the first two weeks it is open to the old Town Hall in Queen Street 1 public. ·· will have a gallery feature unique As well as daytime hours and in Australia. the extended 9 p.m. closing on Fridays,·the gallery will remain ~ sound and liJht-proof experi- u d d s d mental gallery wu designed by open on ••,on aya an atur ays architect Robin Gibson to provide to nine as well. · ' The Works Minister, Mr a showcase for innovative and Wharton, who announced the of- contemporary art. cut off from ricial opening date-yesterday. said the "traditional" art forms within the new buildinJ would 11c a venue the majestic gallery areas. for art exhibit10M from around A walk around die aallery at a ta cs abou 45 min •