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

_ _SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1980 First the gallery, now for In view or the announcement that our new Queensland Art Gallery is expected to open on time in June, 1981, Recent Acquisitions 1979, or course, arc being watched with special interest. It is clear lhal now large sums arc being ,pent •11 lhe building i1self and i1s cquipmenl, as well as on a -~uch increased ,taff: but all lhis mu,t be made wor1hwhilc by :in i111porlan1 colleclion. The public al large probably is unaware of lhc c , 1e,11 and qualily ur the presenl collec1ion becau,c lack nf , pace never alh111cd a fuller di,play, and a ,.:omplctc catalogue ha. n1JI bcl!'n a\':1ilabk. II•• in~ "•lclrcd mer a lonK period acquisitions and displa)·, I ma) daim In ha•e a Mr kn,,..lcd~c of the facts. as "ell as of the need,. And "h•I a 11st one could m•k• of the lnllcr! Public funds, of course, alwavs have bc,·n. .rnd are likely to be in the foreseeable fu1ure. qui1c rrradcqua1c to acquire lhe intcrnalional works of an we all would like lo have (!hough it musl be said lhal lack of funds was nol always the exc~sc for missing out). The few we have were mostly ucquircd Lhrougn bcqucsl. ART with DR GERTR DE LANGER Qucen<lan<I never had the µnn<I for1une ,,r laq;c bcque. IS li,c lhc Felton in Vicroria. However. I here is hope lhal priva lc seclor support may come good, now that 1he new arl gallery shouhl inspire the ncccssury cnthusi:um." In l 977, I allended a conference of the ln1crnc1ional Asmcia1ion of Art Critics in Switzerla nd . The conference theme wa, ·'Financial Support for 1he Art>-Public and Priv:r1e Scc111r·. Switzc:rhind, our ho,t cou nl rv. wns :, ~hining example of priv:1tc iiiiUpJ'K'rt. lnr1ccd. nnr one of the several wonderful S"is, art museums could pos,rblv be wha l ii ,s wi1hou1 incredibly generous :r< 11 clf a< cnlighlencd private supporl. In December l:1s1. un announcement w,ts 111:uJe in Brisbane of lhc forrnalion of lhc "Quecn,lartd An Ga llcrv Foundation" in1endcd 10 a11ruc1 financial su pport (lax dcduc1ible and free of gift and proba1e dul y) from corpora1ions and -individuals. The foundation protidcs for three classes or fflffl'lbership. Inquiries may be directed to the Direclor. Quunslanll Art Gallery. The rrtscnt c,h1h11ion "Sclcctrti i.:qu1,111onc; t ll7()" t which i" s11on to ma~c room for the next c,:hihitinn ··Contc1111)0rary Ceramics 111 Hri1. in", opening January 11) :lij:rtn includes quil< a number of gif1s. adno1<·lcdged in 1hc ca1al,1gue. . One fca1urc of lhcsc were gifts by some ar1i~1s. 1ncludmg one by Ray Crooke of a purirail of himself. p:1intcd_ by l\cvin Connor, one of Aus1ralia\ fnrcmo.,t r,xrrc'\S10nisl painters and 1wicc winnrr of the Archibald . An10ng r,urcha~e~· mo,1 nun,crou, were "'Orkc on p:tpcr. thal ':' . pr!n1, :tnd dr:tll'incs. Supple111en1ed by man~, fine. gift , 111 lh~,c :trl forms. our i:ollection of graphic, has hcen 4uir, ,·nrichcd. Among pain1ings purchased (aparl from lho,e selected in 1hc Trustees Prize. and rncn1ioncd by me at the time). The most ailrac1ivc ure "1\-lcditcrrnnean" (as good as a fine Kandin,ky, who comes lo mind) by Ahm Leach-Jones. ··un1i1lcd" by Max Miller. and "'Seated figure" by Brian Dunlop. the I cannot gel excited 110 fii rl by Seotl Mcl)ougr,11, h\ Joshua Smith. · Thci-c i!\ nothin}~ wr R:rms:ry, cxccpl th:rt lhe C..tl wilh good examples of hr, needed . On• i• &lad that -~ • nn C'nntcmporary sculpturr A major Klippel (2 m but was not on view becau~, damage in lra nsport: Michn was high ly a ·claimed by ceramic shirts lthcy were Biennial) have been acquire srx ~culplurcs by grllcd ynr l:lcnberg, wno lh-cs and " ' gel, his white marble. Elcnberg·s ":fo1em ··, polished construction of · porfirico inlays, combine· connotations. and parl , c:lusi,·encs~. Four disk-shaped br donated) with minimally i influence of Brancusi and