Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 8 : Pressclippings, 1977-1981

C HRISTMAS has arrived. Butt.his does not explain everybody-loves-somebody air prevailing at the Queensland Art Gallery (MIM Building, Ann Street). : i .. I I The acquisitions during Its 1979 dlow a'l'e pleasan t enough. It's sucll a mixed, very mixed assemblage that It's dlfflcult to 1>ul It In per– spective. Perhaps the fau lt lies with.hang– ing purchased Items alongside works pr-ted by donors. At curren t. a11ctto11 room prices, naturally the ,:a ll rr rannot afford to II! all• things to a ll men. That la why the Queenslalld Aort Galler)' Poundutlon lnunched by the Premier Mr BJelke-P,etcrsen, last week deser\'es C"er)' supporl. At least It Is a st~p In the rlghl dlrec– tlolL Without unlimited funds the gal– lery cannot possthly attempt to cov– er the whale range of Western, Aus– tiraltan and Eaatern art history. But It oould ooncenlrate on certain periocla or schools and hulld a repu– t&Uon on the quality of those spe– clallaMlons. ' - The few ceramic pieces, Including •LJ'B4al Moor's Impressive two Q-, may ·Indicate that at tong Jaa& the pllery Is developing a sec• tloa on oontemporary AU5trallan ce• rallllaL AM does the heavy emphasla on prtntmat<lng mean that It Is striving tor• unique print collection? There areJuaty, brash and colorful prlllla bJ' many 211th century, over– aeu arttats dlsplared. Allio It Is good to see Important e-ples by local pioneers - Ethel Bpo-1'11, Rex V'ood and Ll.sette Kohlhqen, Included with more ,e– cent Auatrallan prints. The · art treasures accepted from Lad)' TIOUt, Dr Behan. Ray Crooke, Shar Docking and many others not ,..only rut 1aps In the collection but are full of Interest. * It's a very mixed bag • 1h 11-4•r Art "'-" .. ,,, ,._ .,,.,. . ., .... ,., c•r11t111a1 • ,, ... rear. T ODAY the Gold Coast City Council considers a re– zoning decision following a proposed ,U million donation by a devel1Jper toward a cul– tural centre. Whatever the decision, let's hope the Idea or such a centlre for a major tourist area Is not forgotten. with ALAN WARREN Over the past 10 years hard-work– ing Brian Arrowsmith and other dedicated people on his committee have battled to find the necessary funds for annual art pll'l'chases. Now the Gold Coast City Council has a collection of present day Aus– tralian paintings, second to none In Queensland, but nowhere to house what would be a splendid tourist at– traction, TELEGRAPH, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1979 7 * C HANGES In the art scene mark the last decade. Top ol my list Is the State Oo,– emment's new cultu'ral centre, beau– tifully ailed on the southslde of the · Brisbane RI ver with the art 11llery · Included In the '20 mllllon · first stage, due for completion In mld- 1981, And Rockham11ton's controversial mayor Rex Pllbeam has made avail• able a three-storey building rent– free to any artistic group as long as they Instruct the young In some branch or the arts. The Increasing number of people actively engaged In creating some art form or other Is a part of a world-wide trend. l.yndal Moor'• twe .,._ • • • 111 Ille Qllff111IMtf Art ..... ~. doers and viewers should be con– cerned with excellence. Thi&awareneas of quality I believe can only be transmitted throulhoul the community by more quality ex– hlbltlona. BRIEF mention must be made of Brl~n Malt's unuaually colorful oils and Pat Daley's line 'anil 'tone draw– ings (Mcinnes Gallery), drawlnp by Wlm de Vos (Terrace Oallerles), the Town Gallery's first Australian ex– hibition or antique kimono stencils from a Japanese fnbrlc dying work– shop, and Elli Du-:-br!dge unframed oils of Stradbrok, (Homestead Art Gallery, M t Cotton). ciiltural touch down by river Fund-raising for lh• new Queensland Art Gallery Foundation got under way with a swank late-aftemoon do on the bank of the Brisbane River on Tuelday. The· guest llat wae Sehmlllt, 1allery archl– studded with dlgnltarlea tect Rollla GlllNa, Including gallery dlrec- Sbauna Bftlder, · Arch tor ' Racnll Mellllb and and· • CJilW. - --Oa~r-, his wife Connie, Rot lack and leaJlJ' Manton 11nd Mon, O'LOan, w, and lu• Whl&Nak. Trout, the w, Mayona The official party Norma Sleeman, Sir which Included the Pre– Gordon Cbalk, Sir Da,111 mler loh BJelll:e-Peter– and Lady Muir, Dean an, the president of the Inn Georre and his wife Gallery trusteea, Mr :,- Barbara and Brian tlce Peter Oonnolly, l!llr Sweene,. George and Lady Fisher, sttil others who at- Sir Davlll Lonllanll and tended wero Jack and the Deputy Premier .Dr Mary Leiro, John Maher, Liew Edward• were fer– Bob Mathen, Olaulle rled to the site on board Wharton, Enid Eut, a Harbors and Marine replta Dunlop, .,,ter vwel The Champion. SUNDAY SUN,- DECIMll/t, 16, Jt79