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

ARTS IN QUEEN Galleries have everything 'I'll Ii' galleries scene in Ouccnsland is al peak activity. Tiny suburban galler– ius around Brisbane are busy, leading country gallerius such as the de l.islu 1:allery al Montville on the Sunshinu Coast and lhe renowned l<'orbcs Gallurv at M(tl'kay arc slaging exh1bilions of consistently high slilndard. In rc>vlcwlng Liw Quconslnnd gallniPs. 11111,hasls on the new Queensland Al"L Clallcry undPr construct.Ion on Liu: south bank ot Liw Brisbane River is oblli:atory. Urih1n1· and lllstincUvc design reatur,•s should make this gallery one 01 th,• most PXOIUng in the world. As stngr. 1 01 the Q1wo>nsiand Cultural Centro. thr i :alle.ry will be completed in Junt• 1981 nnd orrtcinll.1• ol)l'ned in Mnrch 1982, 'fhn gallery will allow the presentation or oot.11 Jltlrmancnt and locnl exhibitions: 11rovide cduc~1tion and information sr.rvices. research, library and members' rucilitics, arl ist-in-rcsidence, )lllbllcJ\tiOns and consprvatlnn 11rogra111s, as w/)11 as rxtension sllr1•ices throughout the state. So that Uu, gallur.1· is 11ro,p111·cd for its role n., focal point for art. the trustees luwc •!sLablish~d thr Queensland Art Gallery Foundation to . raise fund,; to develop thl' stnt,•'s collf'ctton of arL. A large sci1h• lund-rnising appeal wa~ launched in June and is now well 011 Lim way Lo reaching 11,s tnri:ct of $:! million. For o,very $2 mlsrd by the louudation In cash subscriptions, the Queensland Government Will provide $1 , u11 to n maximum subsidy or $1 million. Thr. money wlll be used primarily to si,curc art works. The gallery hn., madu an i11ternati11n111 scoo1> with the acquisition nf u 15th century panel painting by Netherlands artist, the Master ot Frankfurt. It ls Warnna Festlval time in Brisbnnr ,and the s)l(!cial at.traction or t)l(N estivai at lhn Queenslnnd .Claller.v is "the 11rt of the Ja11anese Package" which will ~ontinuc unLII OclolJer 17. IL is 1111 unusual dls11lny highilght.ing the subtle beauty of traditional Japnncsr pncknging couceivt!ll for the r~cl'ivor rather Limn the giver. Queensland can be 11ro11d also to know llral In June next year Chinn will mounL a 111:o.1ur i,xhlbitlon or– classical paintings at I he Queensland gallery. Some nl t,lw ll'urks have never oofore been displayed ouL.side Chinn. Yet that is nrt nn a grnnd scnle. Then' an, countless galleries across the Stall' whiuh may he smaller in si?.e, but lnck 11ot.hi11c in prnfo,sslonalism The Town Gallery is II fine example - cmubining six exhibiting galleries whil'h )"1rcsent solo cxhibiUons, coupled with a permanent dls11iay by lt.s 50 distinguished Australian artists. YcL dirccl,or, Verlie ,Just., has added a strong International flair to The Town Gnllery for Wnrnna h.v. )ll"l!sonting in her Japan n.oon, a collection or 1110 Ln 200 year old woodblock playing t:11rds. This wrll-lit gallo'ry in l,hc: heart ol Brisbane is worth II visil , Two blocks aw11y at City Hall ts t,he Civic Art Gnllrry and Musmim where nchnission is nlways rr,ir. Jin, Burns, director or cuiturnl services tor tile Brisbane City Cnnnl'il insist.s Lhnt this is p:irt ol Council's policy or "giving city lrnll back 1.11 LIU! JlCOJ1lo" This civic art, gallery hns been bullrlin~ the sun on displa up nrutacl.s or Brisbane since lt.s inception - to the J>Oinl where such treasures are now hard to find. Down on the Gold Coast the standard of galleries is quite high. One which deserves more than a passing glance is Barrys Art Gallery. Owner Kurt Barry concedes his major buyers ure tourlst.s, but says "they do not shop for souvenirs. They seek to· acquire distinctive works or art. Abstract works are no longer in demand. There has been n resurgence of interest In tradiLlonnl and contempornry works.". And in the h11:;ement or 419 Upper Edward St Is the Royal Queensland A rt: Sodety. (It was granted the royal prefix In 19271. EXHIBITION Presich:nt, Harold Richardson, has a lumlly history with the socict.vdating back to 1901 when his uncle w1~, secretary. 1'ndny the society alms not al gelling money for artists, but at ensuring mnximum exposure for paintings by new l'nun11 artists. Their use nf the hug,• imtlonnl mutual huildinl( for Uwir exhibition carlit!r . this n111nth . dcmousLralus that point. Among rising stars lrom the Royal Queensland Art Soclc1,y arc Wayne RlckrtLs who has hcen In Australia fl'Dm Taiwan lor only three years. Ills work shows refreshing orlglnnlity and breadth in oil, watercolor, 1icncil and batik. Also nut,slanding is ,Jim Edwards whose photo– r,milsm painted on the rever!;r side of ~lass should escalate in value in the nPxt ftlw years. Out In suburban Toowong lwhcre they have 01,crntcd for 18 years) Is thr trendy de Gruchy Gallery and Cratlsmans Market. Both are on the one site and overseen by Joy de Gruchy, Her alm. she says, Is "a consistent blend of arts with furnishings". Such as old Morroccan rugs purchased for them by Denis Croneen who happens to serve as valuer for tax purposes for the Australian Government. Joy de Orucl1y linds Lhe Queensland public today "more rece11Uve" than a decade ago to such cultural extensions as wnll-hanglngs. The de Oruchy Gallery wlll fenture an exhibition of hangings by Englishman, Peter Colilngwood in October. A new gallery out Olaylield way seems Lo have captured the 1mbilc imagination by specialising In early Australian paintings, The Flndhorn Gallery al Claylield is In the · 11rounds or the Brisbane Antique 1 Centre. . '{ A recrnt one-woman exhibition there by Brisbane artist Jan Jorgensen drew heavy response tn her 11:Lstris or Australian wildlife. The Flndhorn Gallery is a husband and wife venture by Sandra and John Craig, and worth n look, If Sydney has IL, Paddington, Brisbane now has S11rtng Hill, 11 fn.st- developing cultural village. The Spring Hill Gallery Is a quaint colonial building which hn., cleverly retained its central fireplace nnd polished wood floors. One tends Lo ga1ie una., hamedly at such "spiritual" paintings as "'!'he Tnj Aspect" an etherenl study or the columns guarding the Tnj Mahal. ll is on show now and Is by relative newcomer Denis Grny. Nol a 11alnting of mass appeal, but different enou h to merit visit Lo the S rin HIii Gallery where co-owners Lothar StriLL or Jill Robert.son seem to be nlway, hand Lo act as your guide. Also In Spr-lng HIii is the Queens![ Potters Assocation which now ho: almost 800 members. This hi~ industrious association operates fro111 historical old building at 49 Leichbarcl1 with two gallerles, One is for meml exhibitions and sales, the other for SJM' exhibitions or pottery. RESIDENTS · Downstairs under their galleries Queensland Potters have a well equip school area. There hundreds or cmu residents have come In recent time, learn the crafL. It Is not quite two years since the Yo Masters Gallery In Brisbane Arc 01,ened. JL promised nothing new at L