2010-11 Report

Queensland Art Gallery Board of Trustees Annual Report 2010–11

Director's overview

Queensland Art Gallery Board of Trustees Annual Report 2010–11

Ethel Carrick Fox | England/

Australia 1872–1952 |

On the

beach

c.1909 | Oil on canvas

| 36 x 42cm | Gift of the

Margaret Olley Art Trust

through the Queensland Art

Gallery Foundation 2011

It is extremely rewarding to look back over the last 12

months, and see how our aspirations for leadership and

excellence in delivering visual arts programs, scholarship

ANDåEXHIBITIONSåHAVEåBEENåACHIEVED å7HILEåTHEåSUCCESSå

of our major international exhibitions has been incredibly

rewarding, I am also gratified by the focused attention

our Collection has received this year.

The Gallery broke its daily attendance record for the

Collection-based exhibition ‘21st Century: Art in the

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åVISITORS å4HEåEXHIBITIONå

focused on works produced in the first decade of the

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from which to profile new areas of the Collection,

including works from Africa, the Middle East, South and

Central America. I recognise the vision and generosity

of Tim Fairfax,

, and the Queensland Art Gallery

Foundation who supported this. To see so many people

in the Gallery, enthusiastically and joyfully engaging with

contemporary art from our own Collection, has been a

real highlight. The exhibition featured an unprecedented

suite of public programs, three film programs, a

range of innovative printed and online publications,

and integration of technology and social media in the

exhibition, programs and marketing.

The Gallery-curated exhibition, ‘Art, Love and Life: Ethel

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the first time in a major exhibition and publication. The

exhibition offered unprecedented access to more than

100 paintings, works on paper and ephemera items

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from major institutions and private collections across

Australia. I acknowledge the generous gift of Ethel

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On the beach

by Margaret Olley, which was

included in this important exhibition.

Our focus on presenting and promoting Queensland

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the exhibition ‘Scott Redford: Introducing Reinhardt

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and passionate investigation of surf and pop culture,

especially relevant to the Gold Coast where he was

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Lahey and Lloyd Rees. See pages 20–21 of this report

for the exhibitions and programs we have been able to

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for their ongoing commitment to the Gallery.

The Gallery continued to develop opportunities

for international and national collaboration and

cultural export this year. Our impressive collection of

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å4HEå.EWå:EALANDå0ROJECT å

at the Gallery of Modern Art, travelled to the National

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å4HEåEXHIBITIONå@0APERSKIN

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and Queensland Museum, also enjoyed a successful

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strong holdings of Indigenous Australian works and

highlighted important new acquisitions. ‘The Old and

the New: Pintupi Masterworks from the Collection

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would like to acknowledge Professor John Hay,

and Barbara Hay for their significant support of the

acquisition of a number of contemporary Indigenous

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Our strong commitment to communities in regional and

remote areas of Queensland continued this year, most

notably the 21st Century Kids Festival on Tour, which

was presented at 47 venues — the most venues to

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as well as two travelling exhibitions of works from the

Collection. Our comprehensive regional program is

profiled on pages 63–67.

The particular focus we place on encouraging children

and young people to appreciate and become involved

in the visual arts is especially gratifying. This year we

produced two publications for children and families,

representing a new and innovative direction for the

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continued to exceed expectations, and I gratefully

acknowledge Tim Fairfax,

, Gina Fairfax and family

through Principal Benefactor and program supporter,

the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, and Santos, whose

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Centre, for their shared commitment.

Director’s overview