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

Exhibition of unusual art f ortn arot1ses great interest IF YOUR Idea or Jewellery Is a diamond ring or a gold chain, the latest exhibition at the Queensland Art Gal– lery will surprise you. ll includes a tiny (unspecified! an Im a 1 skull spouting brass threads and pc11rls. The Contem– porary Austrnllnn Jewellery exhi– bition understandably nrouscd much Interest In Its J apanese and South-east Aslnn tour. It wns the first exhibitlon of contempornry Aun rnttan Jew– ellery to be shown overseas on such a large scnte, Average age of the artists was about 28, and though some were born and had studied overseas, all now worked here. Arter showing at the gallery untll April 27 tt wtlt travel to Eu– rope. Obvtouoly, the 70 artl•t• repre– sented felt no restrictions from the theme "Objects to Human Beale" - their work• range from a attver, Ivory and pla•tic whip to ;. silver model of a windmtlt, fence and water tank. The gallery exhlbltlons ofllcer, Miss Susan Abasa, had no heslta· I tlon ln classing the items as "art." And it would be hard to ' deny it. Only the brave would consider wearing "A Queotlon of &mu Ethics," a sterling sth•er pendant showing an ivory loetus In a glass \'illl. nut not oil the 173 works are so dramatic. '!'he artists used mate• rials from feathers, stones, lradt– llonal gold and sll\•er lo acrylic 11nd horn. One ts a belt made of colored maps of Austratta •Tasmania not· forgotten, but connected with n plastic rlni;l featuring the lly111g kangaroo, Opera House, Sydney Harbor Bridge a nd Vegemite. Australian lmnges nre prevn-· JenL but Miss Abnsa thought them more satirical thnn patri– otic. Rings, chains and brooches are Included, &0me even approaching the type in n city Jeweller's win- do:,disco bag, sliver head-dress and chain purse look almost mundane ln the mixture of fan– tasy and frlvollty. They are not for sale, and the gallery was no~ eager to reveal the prices. But what you might spend on the Jewellery you would save on clothes. Anyl,hlng mo~e than a black dress would not do them justice. LIFTOUT A .. including the week· s TV and radio programs ..,L,.'. _ ". 1 ~ Learn how to dye · ~. . o,.:4:~Pr .. ....,_ ~· 'ff' "Dyein1 Fibre and Fabric", the rirst or a planned series or 1ourin1 cralt exhibitions, is presented by the Queensland Art Gallery and is I sequel 10 the hiahly succcssrul "Print- . m1kin1, Reller and ln– t11lio Methods" travell– ina nhlbilion which was displayed 11 the openin1 of the renovated Municipal Art Gallery, City Hall, Toowoomba one year 110, In conjunction with the "Dyeing Fibre and Fabric" show 10 be seen in the foyer or the Am Buildin1, DDIAE, 1 dye– ing workshop will be held II the lnsi1u1e on April 11 and 12 from 10 10 4 p.m. Fee is S30 (S20 for full– time students). Enrolements may be made through the Queensland Art Oallery, 07/229 2138. Ruth Stoncley, a noted Queensland craftswoman, will direct the workshop which caters for be1inners and experienced persons workin1 in such areas as clothina, screen prin1in1, embroidery knit1in1 and weavlna. . Many classes or syn– thetic and natural dye work are seen in the ex-· hibition which is desi1ned 10 stimulate public in– terest in the creative use or fibre and fabrics . Garments or wool yarn; handspun and woven mohair; woollen shawls; a catalo1ue or diflerent specimens or cloth col– lected by Captain Cook during voya1es; an appli– qued and embroidered dyed linen picture; a wall han1in1 or handmade relt, sisal and dyed strins; a handpainled silkscreen picture; Batik on Indone– sian linen and a landscape or knitted wool yarn, are some or the items on display. This exhibition is open until April durin1 weekdays and may be viewed at night between 7 and 10.30 p.m. in con– junction .with per– formances or the play, "Oh Whal a Lovely War" beins staged in the adja– cent Arts Theatre, DDIAE. - Pamela Kina. .. - ... -• ANN STUART, engaged ln the process of mixing dyes In her Range studio.