Brisbane is home to many fine pieces of art from the
scrap metal kangaroos lounging on George Street to
Pablo Picasso's La Belle Hollandaise (housed in the Queensland Art Gallery).
Can't tell a Monet from a Manet? Unsure of what line, shape, texture and form mean when talking about art? There are many ways to improve you knowledge of the world of art from visiting websites including
About.com's Art History; reading books like
Art for Dummies or taking a free online course in
Making Sense of Art History. As well as these options, get out there and look at artworks.
The
Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art are located at South Bank and are excellent starting points for any novice student of art appreciation and history. Both galleries are home to a variety of artworks including paintings, sculptures, furniture, pottery and installations. Australian artworks including Indigenous artworks feature heavily in the galleries' collections and include pieces by Albert Namatjira, Sidney Nolan and Russell Drysdale. International art is by no means forgotten at the Queensland Art Gallery which is home to classic works including
Degas' Trois danseuses à la classe de danse. Guided tours of the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art take place daily and last for around 30 – 40 minutes. The Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art are open daily between 9am – 5pm Saturday and Sunday. Entry to the galleries is free however some exhibitions may have entry fees.
Moving across the river to the Brisbane CBD,
the QUT Art Museum is home to a collection of contemporary art and hosts exhibitions throughout the year showcasing the talents of QUT staff and students. Entry is free and the QUT Art Museum is open on weekends between 12pm and 4pm.
Fireworks Gallery in Newstead, combines artworks from Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian artists in an open warehouse type space. Works on display at Fireworks Gallery include
Yvonne Mills-Stanley's Grass Series and
Vincent Serico's Some People Are Stories. Fireworks Gallery is open on Saturdays between 10am and 4pm.
Further north, the
Redcliffe City Art Gallery is home to a collection that spans 40 years and highlights the history of the seaside town. It is open between 10am and 4pm on Saturdays.
As well as galleries, Brisbane is home to a wide variety of street art including the kangaroo sculptures, hand sculptures outside 175 Eagle Street, Brisbane and
painted traffic signal boxes. Open your eyes and discover the hidden art of Brisbane.
Images
Virgin and Child with Saint James the Pilgrim, Saint Catherine and the Donor with Saint Peter c.1496 – Queensland Art Gallery
Adventure Series 2 – Tracey Moffat – GOMA
Painted traffic signal boxes
