Joanna James
The outstanding contemporary art collections of Brisbane's museums and the pioneering displays at its many galleries make up the vibrant art scene within the region. Here is a list of places that will surely have all you 'Picassos' drooling!
Opened only in the year 2006 complementary to the Queensland Arts Gallery (QAG), the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) has fast become one of the largest modern and contemporary art galleries in Australia. Its collection is an assortment of pieces from national and international talent such as Ai Weiwei, Anish Kapoor, Yayoi Kusama, Martin Creed, William Robinson, Rosemary Laing and so on. It is conveniently located a short walk away from the city centre and in close proximity to many a Brisbane Hotel CBD including renowned brand names such as the iStay River City.
Neighbouring the spectacular Botanical Gardens of the city, the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Art Museum is one that houses a fantastic collection of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, decorative arts and even work on paper. Its specialization is in the area of Queensland art, contemporary Australian paints and Aboriginal Arts. Interestingly, the collection houses more than 70 pieces by William Robinson, who himself was coincidentally (or not) a QUT alumnus.
One of the first of its kind in Australian art, the Institute of Modern Art was established in the year 1975 and is now a part of the Judith Wright Centre, an creative art space fostering the advance of contemporary Arts in Queensland, which houses a spectacular mix of cabaret, circus, music, theatre and contemporary performance.
The year 1974 saw the then young Philip Bacon muster his courage and strength into entering the art business and therein opening his own gallery and has today come to be one of the leading contemporary art galleries in the country. In 2001, the gallery underwent a major redesign which brought out an establishment flushed with the most perfect lighting to showcase its most exquisite pieces of art. It houses a remarkable collection featuring famous artists the likes of William Robinson, Margaret Olley, Robert Dickerson and Tim Storrier.
Following displaying her authentic pieces of art at her private gallery on Brunswick Street for nearly two decades, Jan Murphy put her name on the map with the opening of Jan Murphy Gallery. Her colourful commitment to the Australian art culture has brought to the spotlight many talented individuals such as Kirra Jamison, Ben Quilty and even Rhys Lee among many others.
Previously working in close collaboration with Jan Murphy, Edwina Corlette parted ways to curating her own gallery located along the same stretch of Brunswick Street as Jane Muphy's earliest private gallery. The Edwina Corlette Gallery aims to promote a group of selected artists belonging to Australia and the South Pacific region and encourages the art forms of painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, installation and digital art.
For an art gallery featuring the cutting-edge work of the emerging local talent, the setting of the Spiro Grace Art Room can be best described as 'fitting'. This spring hill cottage turned art-gallery features a unique fusion of art and design and explores mainly the artistic and design media realms for their possible integrations.
Let us assure that this gallery is not at all as grim as pronouncing its name makes it out to be. Of course, you could fall short of breath, only in awe of its incredible collection of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, installations and photographic works that it houses! It has an extensive collection of Australian indigenous arts and is one-minded to support the existing as well as emerging home-grown artists.
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