Bursts of colour, dark and moody works and beautiful landscapes … ever wondered what goes into creating a major art exhibition?
As Latest & Greatest II, featuring many amazing pieces acquired into the Sunshine Coast Art Collection, opens at Caloundra Regional Gallery, its curator has shared some rare insights – literally taking us behind the scenes.
Sunshine Coast Council’s art collection curator Nina Shadforth said the tight four-day changeover period between exhibitions was a frenzy of excitement and activity that required all hands-on deck.
“We have opened ‘Latest & Greatest II’ and our visitors are enjoying the serene space, marvelling at the works on show but blissfully unaware, as they should be, of the frenzy that ensued behind closed doors during the changeover,” Ms Shadforth said.
“For this very special exhibition, we had to gather the works from council buildings and libraries – where they may have been on display – and our collection stores, and then create a neutral backdrop to display them.
“The previous exhibition had charcoal walls, so once the works were pulled down, packed and collected, we rolled four coats of paint on the walls to return them to their usual neutral white.
“You never quite know what the final exhibition will be until you have all the works in the space— and while the layout is pre-planned on paper it is only when you see the works together and look at how they sit with each other, that you see how they sometimes clash and then you have to think on your feet to quickly come up with a new plan.”
What do people gravitate towards?
“In terms of where to hang pieces, Gallery 1 is considered prime real estate. This is the first section you see when you walk through the Gallery doors and it’s visible from outside,” Ms Shadforth said.
“We tend to place key works in this space and those pieces are decided upon based on value, scale or simply what looks right.
“That said, there is no set way to traverse the gallery. We can’t, nor do we want to, lead visitors. People will naturally gravitate to works that they connect with and that’s OK.
“With that in mind, in this exhibition, we’ve tried to highlight key works in the collection, selecting pieces that have broad appeal to the general visitor.
“Some visitors enjoy bursts of colour, others prefer dark and moody works or beautiful landscapes, but I think we can guarantee there’s something for all in this exhibition.
“We have some beautiful maquettes – these are little model versions of the public artworks that people may have seen in public spaces within the region – in our collection and the detail is quite exceptional.’’
Highlights of the exhibition include a collaborative ceramic piece, Springbrook, by Errol Barnes and renowned contemporary artist Joe Furlonger valued at about $7000 and a must-see is the collection of three works by Indigenous artist Joe Alimindjin Rootsey (1918–1963).
Latest & Greatest II is on show until 19 March at Caloundra Regional Gallery, 22 Omrah Avenue, Caloundra. Entry to the all-access gallery is free to enjoy. Opening hours are 10am-4pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am-2pm Saturday and Sunday. More information at gallery.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au
