Cover: Visitors viewing Gemma Smith's sculptural works Adaptable 2008 in ‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’, with Jan Nelson's 'Walking in tall grass' series in the background. November 2008. Photograph: Joanne Bell This page: Concept drawing by Timothy Horn of his work Medusa 2006 and installation view of the work with guests at the opening of ‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’, November 2008. Photograph: Natasha Harth REVIEW QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY | GALLERY OF MODERN ART CONTENTS REWIND / 8 Chair’s message / 8 Director’s message / 9 REWARDS / 10 Selected 2008 exhibitions / 10 Australian Cinémathèque / 34 Public programs / 38 Up Late / 40 Children’s Art Centre / 42 Publishing / 46 Regional programs and services / 48 RESOURCES / 50 Highlights of Collection acquisitions / 50 RETURNS / 60 Attendance, visitor comments / 60 RELATIONSHIPS / 62 It's all about art and people Government and corporate support, staff and volunteers / 62 Queensland Art Gallery Foundation / 66 Gallery Members / 68 2008 exhibitions and sponsors / 70 READY? / 74 2009 selected highlights . the year ahead 2009 highlights / 74 Visiting information / 80 Left: Curatorial Manager, Australian Art, Julie Ewington speaking during the opening weekend Installation view of the Queensland Art Gallery Watermall. (Foreground: George Baldessin’s of ‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’ exhibition. Foreground: Emily Floyd / Permaculture Three pears 1975, © George Baldessin 1975. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney 2008. crossed with feminist science fiction 2008. Photograph: Natasha Harth Background: Joan Miro’s Monument cast 1970.) Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter perform Previous pages – Top row: Michael Leunig with his work Song 2008 at an artist’s talk during at the opening of the ‘Xstrata Coal Emerging Indigenous Art Award 2008’ exhibition, July 2008. the opening weekend of ‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’, November 2008. Children Bottom row: A visitor photographs Tony Albert’s Sorry 2008 in ‘Contemporary Australia: making ‘paper sculptures’ in Yo Picasso Kids at the Children’s Art Centre. Queensland Art Optimism’. Angela Goddard, Curator of Australian Art to 1970, presents a talk for Gallery Gallery Foundation members view ‘Mountain and Streams: Chinese Paintings from the NGV Members on ‘Sidney Nolan: A New Retrospective’, June 2008. Robert Forster performs during Asian Collection’, March 2008. Henry Bartlett, CMG, OBE and guest at the Foundation viewing of the opening weekend of the ‘Andy Warhol’ exhibition. Tom Sokolowski, Director, The Andy the exhibition ‘War: The Prints of Otto Dix’, November 2008. Opening night guests view works Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, at the ‘Andy Warhol’ opening. The High / Perpetual Xmas, No in ‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’. Scene from ‘Picasso & his collection’ exhibition. Abstractions 2008 by Scott Redford, financial assistance received through Arts Queensland Middle row: Visitors view art work in the Queensland Art Gallery Watermall — Walangkura from art+place, the Queensland Government’s Public Art Fund. Visitors look closely at Ron Napanangka’s Untitled (Tjintjintjin) 2006 (left) and George Tjungurrayi’s Untitled Mueck’s In bed 2005. (Mamultjulkulnga) 2007. Visitors view ‘War: The Prints of Otto Dix’, November 2008. Photographs: Joanne Bell, Ray Fulton, Natasha Harth. artist Jan Nelson prepares for 'Optimism' Jan Nelson and assistant preparing to install her work for ‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’, November 2008. Photograph: Natasha Harth. 'Innovative audience development is an REWIND inherently optimistic endeavour, essential to the life and future of an art museum.' On behalf of the Gallery’s Board of Trustees, The Gallery is grateful for the wonderful support it I thank our Director, Tony Ellwood, for his leadership receives from many sources —from government, this year, along with the members of his executive the Foundation, members and corporate supporters, management team, Andrew Clark, Deputy Director, as well as from its much-valued staff. Most Programming and Corporate Services; Lynne importantly, the success of the Gallery’s programs Seear, Deputy Director, Curatorial and Collection is fundamentally dependent upon the support of Development; and Celestine Doyle, Marketing its audiences. Innovative audience development and Sponsorship Manager. I also acknowledge is an inherently optimistic endeavour, essential and thank my fellow Trustees, this year’s outgoing to the life and future of an art museum. Trustees, and our former Chair of Trustees, Wayne In 2008, the Gallery achieved record attendances; Goss, who served as Chair from 1999 until February attracted significant growth in Gallery membership; this year. We’re also very grateful for the professional secured unprecedented levels of both corporate CHAIR'S expertise and energy of our staff, and for the DIRECTOR'S and private support; and continued to develop MESSAGE generosity of the volunteers who support us MESSAGE new audiences, particularly through the Australian in so many ways. 2008 has been a great year for the Queensland This year closed with a great sense of achievement Cinémathèque, the Children’s Art Centre and the Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art. Brisbane The achievements of 2008 would not be possible and momentum, and the launch of ‘Contemporary new Up Late programs. without our corporate partners and sponsors, and Queensland audiences have been wonderfully Australia: Optimism’ — the first in a new triennial This new publication provides an overview of the including the members of our new exhibition support supportive of the exhibitions, public programs, series of exhibitions dealing with the visual art and milestones of 2008 and a glimpse into the offerings program, Chairman’s Circle. Thank you also to member events, and activities for children and culture of contemporary Australia. It’s an exhibition of 2009. I invite you to reflect on 2008, and to visit those generous individual benefactors, including families presented across both sites, as well as theme which brings together forward-looking us in the year ahead. the films and popular new Up Late programs at Tim Fairfax, AM, and Gina Fairfax, Philip Bacon, artists who are willing to engage with prospect and GoMA. The Gallery’s major international exhibitions, AM, James Sourris and Henry Bartlett, CMG, OBE, opportunity. And, in many ways, it’s the kind of focus in particular, have been strongly supported by who have assisted the Gallery in securing important that has absorbed the Gallery this year. interstate and international visitors. new acquisitions. The 2008 program of exhibitions was truly We’re extremely grateful to the Queensland This new publication, our 2008 Review, is an diverse and was supported by the accessible and Tony Ellwood Government for its continued substantial support opportunity to consider the past year and to sophisticated interpretive and educational programs Director, Queensland Art Gallery for our work. In particular, I’d like to thank the acknowledge the artists, staff, volunteers, for which the Gallery is recognised. The Gallery is Honourable Anna Bligh, MP, Premier of Queensland, supporters and audiences who’ve contributed also recognised for its strength as a collector of the and the Honourable Rod Welford, MP, Minister for in so many ways to the life of the Gallery. contemporary art of Asia and the Pacific. This year Education and Training and Minister for the Arts, for I trust you enjoy our 2008 Review. we were able to confidently and significantly broaden their enthusiasm for our programs. The Queensland the reach of our contemporary collections, and a Government is passionate about knowledge, group of important new international acquisitions Director Tony Ellwood leads a tour of ‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’ for sponsors. creativity and innovation, and these qualities are was assisted by the very generous support of Tim Photograph: Ray Fulton Background: Guests at the announcement of ‘American Impressionism and Realism: integral to the programming and commitments Fairfax, AM, and his wife Gina Fairfax. A Landmark Exhibition from the Met’, October 2008. Photograph: Natasha Harth of the Gallery. My thanks also to Rachel Hunter, Director-General, Department of Education, Training Professor John Hay, AC and the Arts; Leigh Tabrett, Deputy Director-General, Chair, Board of Trustees Arts Queensland, and the supportive staff of Arts Queensland. We’re also thankful for the valuable support of the Australian Government, provided through the Australia Council, its arts funding and Professor John Hay, AC, Chair of the Gallery’s Board of Trustees, speaking at the announcement of ‘American Impressionism and Realism: A Landmark Exhibition from advisory body. the Met’, October 2008, at the Queensland Art Gallery. Photograph: Ray Fulton @ the Met announcement 8 / REWIND 31/10/08 REWIND / 9 REWARDS Selected 2008 exhibitions 'Optimism' - 1st in a new Aust. series ‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’ is the first in a Represented in the exhibition are senior artists Robert triennial series of thematic contemporary Australian art MacPherson, Michael Leunig, Robert Owen and exhibitions. The series aims to be the most significant Nawurapu Wunungmurra; mid-career artists Vernon showcase of contemporary Australian art in the country. Ah Kee, Patricia Piccinini, Scott Redford and Jan Nelson; and emerging artists Tony Albert, Gemma Smith ‘Optimism’ presents more than 250 works by 67 and Victoria Reichelt. The Australian Cinémathèque is emerging, mid-career and senior artists from