Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 5 : Presscuttings, June 1972 - November 1976

STORY: SHELLEY NELLER PHOTOGRAPHS: HARRY FREEMAN The public can see the Queensland Art Gallery 's newest acquisitions on display next Tuesday. The gallery. which has been closed since April last year. when the building was declared unsafe, will reopen on Tuesday In temporary premises - the MIM building, Ann Street. City. Occupying the whole of the fifth floor (about 600 square metres) the gallery will exhibit about 200 pieces - paintings, prints, sculpture and art objects. All the gallery's acquisitions slnct! it closed IHI year will be on display. These include modem anci older art works. The gallery will incorporate a relaxation area where people may sit and watch art films on closed circuit color television sets. and a mini-lecture theatre offering inlormalion on the art content of the gallery. Gallery director (Mr. Raoul Mellish) said the display area was much more effective than .it had been in the old gallery premises. Air conditioning and lighting had been specially balanced and controlled. Because of the gallery's im– proved conditions, Its central position and easy accessibility, he expected the public attend– ance to be lour times greater than it was before. The shift to and reorganlsa- Above : These modern worki featured in natural color graduation reach o bright crescendo In Sidney Nolan ·, " Expedition 1964 " (foreground I. Above, right: Artendmih check one of the 2000 works which are kept in o ,peciolly regulated air-conditioned storage room . lion of new premises had been a good practice exercise. Mr. Mellish said. The experience would be handy when the gallery even• tually moved to new, per– manent premises. tie hoped that would be some lime in 1978. Jn selling up displays. the aim has been to give a lceliirg or light roominess. The ceiling is lower than in the old premises. so special sels or moveable screening have been ,11 ranged in dillerent ways to prevent. a reeling or closeness. A reception desk will operate on the display floor : the gal• lery's business oHiccs and stor– ,,rOom arc on the sixth rtoor One painting by Isaac Jenner. who may be called the "Fa• ther" of the Queensland Art Gallery will be on show lor the first lime in about 20 years. The painting. called Cape Chud– leigh. Labrador, has been re• stored and is a highlight among the works In the "old colonial'' section. Jenner was instrumental in having the State Government set up an art gallery. He was one or the foundation members of the Royal Queensland Art So– ciety. As yet. the gallery has no cab– inets for extensive object dis– play. About 2000 works . in– cludln~ paintings. are In stor• age. Th e 5undoy Mm/ Co/or Mogo,. ne Mor ch 23 1975 7