Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 6 : Debate on New Art Gallery and Cultural Centre 1963-1970

I holN' within tbe neirt frw Wrt'ks t.o put for– ward to lhr ('fly C:ouncll a HCheme for the baild– ln« of a chic admlnls– lrativr block, lndepeo– d1'11l of U1.- City Hall, whirh will relea...e· a lar~e amount of 11pace wlthla the City Hall fM cultural purpo8CII. A sub– stanUal part of this IIP:&<'<' t•-ld hr made awaibhlr for a chanctnir I al1 lrailery. W,· ar·•• takini,: minor steµs in this directiou by converting Ute Lorcl Mayor's reception room into II M>Und proof i,:al– l1>ry to house the R,rn- ' dall COlll'ctton. We will be llble t.o 11:te it, t,~ , l,1r dillplay, from tl1111· , . time, of special s111c1!. collection:, of ott , • artists. Thill gallery "' · II l~ known as the n., ·• lht.11 A.rt Oallery. We are 1.11,lng the Cil v Hxll rnrridnrs, too, ti1 sonu· ,•Jtte111 /lr the pur– pose of a changing g1\I– Iery. The Lady Mayorc.~s· Historical and Arts Committee hangs pai11t.– i11ir lent by thl' ~ucc11sland Art. Gallery f ~r •· · .. ,..,,~ periods m J 1.Jcd·: 1t• the tlmr h:ls come for a deflnltt· ef– fort by those interc.~tR.d to regenerate Gn\'1·rn– ment su11port. tor th\· (•s- tablishment of a lll'W gallery in Brisharn• I feel we now must look for a s_ite bi,fore t.hP Oil· 1111rL11naty to find one in a suitable location is lost tore~r. In Los Angeles tlw Cll,y Hall has two cha.nging galleries, neit.hrr of which is very elatnrate. But t.here 1~ a magnific:Pnt Ar : Muse urn, com1>lisi111: three t111ild1n~s 1111ified by r.unnect,11 ,( promeull(ies, i.c11lpL11" · gllrdens, IUld rel 1....-tua,( ' pools, The land to, t.he museum was tclVen t,y the County coun...,1 a :.<f the finance n,i.'le(1 " public ,qut,scrtptlon -<t11, contrihutor alone rnb scribing more Uuu, £1 . mil:lon t $2mlllion) . Th,· largest buildinc .,., . • tains a permanent . ,1. lection dL!ll)lay.,., rm :..ur floors around ..,, ,pen oourt. There ill ds-, a Great Hall ,.., gala openings and pr-vfc-ws. Auditorium seats 600 To complete the com– plrx the.-e ls an audi– torium for lecturea, con– certs, Cil.m8, and tele– vised~. aeattng 600 people. Perhapfl all that need be s11Jd of thlll incredibly beautiful ooncept ta, that, If we can't aspire tu building anything QUilA' like it, ft at leaat r an mow what the ulUm ,lt,• In an art mUMu1,. lhOu1d proYide. Jn llungkong, lhe C.1v lhe pu.sl frw years, l,'1.il_l Is <1evol,l'd 11111111st thrurk.s laq.:c-lv to the 1111.irely to CUIL11ral usr.. efforts of I li'P , , . Apart from a Marria.tr laud Art 6 011111 !/t"t~· lh•~istrv, there ls 11<1 Eliza,bethan 'J'lir-i trg .,,rm1nlstratlve activity Trust and slmibr IJ i' . . :' I all within the build- there' has been' a 0 ' " ·\ 1111: increase in the in~::t The s1>11ce devoted for m drama, ballet, ancl art i:alll'rv our110Res in opera In. Qu,.ensland. till' Hongkong citv Hall The · faci11tles, however Is not, Vf'l"V irrealr-4500 for the portrayal of sq. ft.-11nd it aims only dramatic arts. opera, and to urovide for changing mu,ilc, are •sadly lacking, exhibitior· However. One of the Inherent Lile fa, '\re out- ·11fficullles is tn get. I.he standln1\ small bodies, Jll'ubably The a1i. . Cit v be<".4Ulle of their dedi- Hali com111,, slim CMLed mtt'N'st in t,heir 12-storev bi• ':, ·,. 1, 11 , ••d own ac-t.ivlties, to~ether, bv II concer 1. h1t" uu11 ,J- In an etfurt tn olJLaln i.111?. a thre•! storev c.. 11 - their own headquarters, tral building. and a If Lhey are evt'I' to be theatre butlctlnit. a!I provided with t hem, I bum arouncl a memorl.11 am of th,• 01111,ion It l?arden, a l!i fL or the wlll h1tve 1,,, corn~ Pit.her busineu peonle of Houg- by way ,,c sub.,t,111tl.u korut. bequeats or by O'nvern– meul act.Ion. The hii,:h block con- 1..'lins a public library, one of the most lntereat– inl! bein11: a children's srrUon. More ttrn.n 250,000 t·,,oks in Enl.l– lM, ann Chinese Dro– v irt,•~ '"'' of the most 111>-t, r 111., lr.11d1n1t and rf'fertm,.., l•hrl\ri l•~ in the ""tld. Tlw aeoaral!' concert · ,11 b11l1<11n,i: seats 1500 ,.,.,ml,• ~u,t r.an accom– m,,.i..,,. 90 musicians a11<1 11 i,hoir of l:.?O. There is 11 lso a smaller thPat.rr winch accommo– dates ~,llO 1:ieonle, e,qpecl– Rliv s1a.1ed to thf' needs of "'" ,t.f'ur dramatic sucleti,•., • Most lavish ballroom Tile central block llriuscs also a ballroom ll'll.h a mu-uificent car- 1><•1.<!d foyer, a sprung floor. and lavL~hlv aP• pointed restaurant bar. The library facilities in 801117,kong, while bighly centralised in kee1>ing with Lhe nature o! the city, provide nothing more than w,· have in our excellen1. Mur11cipal Suburb,.,, Library sys~m. exce11L fnr !.lie childrc11's lrbr/U'y, 111i:, Is. ilrdl'ed, a Vl!ry f·n~ flllC, W1Lh the t>vqg " •..,,. 11r.c('11.slhl,• 1ln , · .<llt'f . •• 'II'.,, !11",(,llifk ' I liJZhL Iron· ·~ :1.oi ,V,11 0V\ ~ lo"" lnr• r, .,y, au, w11.h i t!i\, accon,mn- <1 ,1L1•111 , , for chil- (11•• . t,,•h,•\'ll 1.hat. the Ch1irirc11's Memorial Library Comm1Ltee in Bri,bane, headed by our Town Clerk, could well :1fford to have a look at Lh~ very modem child – r~n ,; Library. This IS ~•rticularly de– lrlraltle ,Ince I know thl' Town Clerk ill anxious to geL this library, for which a wonderful fWJtl has been established from the honorary wort of Br!Jbane Cily Coun– cil staff, under way lo the near future Where this lihrary wW be est&bllahNl L~ • m1lttcr for the cornmlt- 1.r.• but I would like to sf'O• It. go on Lhl' present S11.i- of thle Scl, 'l(>I of Art.~ Llhrarv wi ,h 111 hPi11g take" over by the C'tt,y Cot1nr1I. ~ Tu,• Im~ Lo . Luru ,c)d.~. 1' 1 &PI •/ ,ltf U, ·, er cul- 1st be •1rtn• The new Mu.sic Centre , In Loa Angeles, now to proceaa of completion, la a trreat project. oom– pri.lllng a strik!a, Rl'OUP of civic &nd cultural b u i I d I n g s planned around a huge central mall. Like the Art Centre, there are three bllildinga within the complex Outstanding ii the 1250~ seat pavilion, fuICUllnt the function or three mi\Jor halls, with facili– ties for symphony, Jl I and opera, light opera and ballet. Included in the pavi– lion are also two fine 1·e:,t.aura11t.~. the found– ers' club room, and two banquet rooms. Ba.,e– mcmt J>arking provides for 2000 c:ars. Leading from the main lluilding t.o the two smaller building11 ls The Mllll Pllll'.a, with its square refltt.ting pool, Onr •lf theae building, is l.ht ' 750-seat Marlt Ta1N"r Forum, which la shaped like an am11hl– th,•11Lre arid will cater for Intimate dl'luna, opt>ra recitals, chamber music, experimental U1P.a.trical work, and nr:,Jor civic meetings. Enth-,,siasm ·tlined The < hi ,bulldi1 ... Is , lie 21 lO, .t Centre l'heatre~ w,,tch wll be used for legitimate the– atre, musical comedy, and theatrical events, not requirinit the v,elaborate facili~lea pro– ·vided in the pavilion. Perhaps the most out– standing thing in the cultural life Clf our own ,·, ty has bep,, thr way .-,o many people h,,,,e maintained UH-tr efl- tr,ustasm and .,,rk to– Wl\fds the attatr,nir>nt of the much needl'tl facili– u~ with little or no official encouragement. Cultural facilities are many thing, to manj people, but t.o all t.heJ are things or beauty and tht": contain within u, .., beauty n<K onlr ef the s,ut buL of the present-thinga wluch will &&and fottver as symbola ot the creatl,e abiliU.ea of man If he &eY hia standards and .bJA vi.aiona high. 9