Madonna Lilies, New Farm, by Henry Bartlett
A wonderful new exhibition at the
Museum of Brisbane is revealing in more ways than one.
First and foremost,
Reveal is all about displaying selected treasures from the City of Brisbane art collection -- treasures that are usually locked away somewhere safe, out of the public gaze. The opportunity to view these rarely-seen pieces should be relished by anybody with an interest in art.
The City of Brisbane collection began in 1859, and the council has been collecting paintings, drawings, sculptures and the like ever since. Today, more than 5000 artworks are held.
A decision was made to go through these pieces and select some of the most interesting and beautiful works to go on display.
Echo and the God Pan, by Robert Rayment
It's a lovely idea, and has resulted in a wide range of works from more than 80 different artists going on show.
The exhibition features everything from early watercolours of Brisbane scenes to Aboriginal desert paintings, from pen-and-ink sketches of historic buildings to vivid floral oils. Many of the pieces are by artists who have a strong association with Brisbane -- either as their place of birth or as their home at some point.
Brisbane River, Indooroopilly, by Robert Rayment
Many also depict Brisbane scenes, and this is the second revelation for anybody visiting the exhibition. While historical photos of Brisbane are relatively common, this is the first time that I've seen artistic interpretations of Brisbane at so many different points in its history.
My favourites included an 1887 watercolour by Robert Rayment, showing an Indooroopilly home on a thickly treed hillside, Vida Lahey's romantic vision of St John's Cathedral, and Henry Bartlett's
Madonna Lilies, New Farm, which captures a quintessential Brisbane streetscape.
Mulberry Tree Growing, by Vincent Brown
I also liked a number of works that gave an insight into art movements that have flourished at different times. Robert Rayment's
Echo and the God Pan (1902) transplants a sexy symbolist scene into an Australian beachside setting, while a 1948 lithograph by Vincent Brown offers a modernist take on the humble mulberry tree found in many Brisbane back-yards at the time.
There were also ceramics, portraits, works on paper and more. So much, in fact, that I couldn't look at it all, and plan to go back for another visit. Luckily, the exhibition continues throughout 2012, so there's plenty of time for a return visit (or two).
Like the
Cabinet of Curiosities show in the next gallery at the museum,
Reveal offers Brisbane residents and visitors a picture of our city that is more textured and interesting than the one-dimensional images frequently offered up. I'd urge you to get along some time this year and experience its richness for yourself.
