Caloundra Regional Gallery will reopen to the public on Wednesday, June 17 following the Stage 2 easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
The reopening will allow culture vultures, art lovers, or anyone wanting to wander through an exhibition of international brilliance to have the opportunity to see the stunning Johanna DeMaine: the form, the function, the aesthetic exhibition that had to close early due to COVID-19 restrictions.
DeMaine’s highly sought-after artworks are held in private and public collections both nationally and internationally, including the British and Danish Royal Family collections. The exhibition, covering five decades of practice, includes early functional ware, the decorative and ornamental, through to recent works incorporating new techniques and imagery that combine the influences of the Sunshine Coast and Japan.
Community Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowski was relieved to see the gallery was reopening to provide the community with access to exhibitions once again.
“The gallery team has done a remarkable job in continuing to provide our community, and local arts sector, with creative inspiration online during the lock-down,” Cr Baberowski said.
“As good and as important as the digital creativity has been, nothing duplicates experiencing DeMaine’s wonderful work in person and I am personally very much looking forward to visiting the gallery again. I encourage all who can to push it to the top of their to-do list.”
The gallery will be open from Wednesday – Friday, 10am to 2pm, and will welcome 20 visitors at any one time.
Gallery Director Jo Duke said the program for the remainder of 2020 included an exhibition of the First Nation’s works from the Sunshine Coast Art Collection, an exhibition to celebrate the gallery’s 20th anniversary and the nationally prestigious Sunshine Coast Art Prize.
“This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the gallery in August and we have planned a special exhibition to honour the gallery’s history and exciting future as a cultural centre for the arts and I’m glad we will be able to share this important historical period with the community,” Ms Duke said.
“Our signature exhibition, the Sunshine Coast Art Prize, has been rescheduled to open in October and artists now have until July 14 to enter. I’m sure our fabulous judge, Tracy Cooper-Lavery, Gallery Director at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast, will have a challenging task to select this year’s winners.
“In addition to the wonderful exhibition program, we will also continue our new From the Artist series that has been streaming live via Facebook on Wednesday nights featuring artists involved with the gallery and behind the scenes studio tours.
“I look forward to welcoming visitors back to the gallery this week and we ask that you please comply with social distancing requirements, hand santisation before entering and postpone your visit if you are showing any cold or flu symptoms.
“It is only with the help of our patrons and visitors that we can continue to showcase beautiful art.”
Gallery opening hours will continue to be reviewed over the coming weeks. Programming will continue online for the foreseeable future. Visit the gallery website for the latest information.
Exhibition program
Johanna DeMaine: the form, the function, the aesthetic: 17 June – 12 July
First Nations Artworks: 18 July – 2 August
Celebrating 20 years of Caloundra Regional Gallery: 7 August – 27 September
Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2020: 16 October – 6 December
Constructing Landscape: urban visions: 11 December – 7 February, 2021
Visit gallery.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au for more details.
Image: Johanna DeMaine. Photo ben vos productions.
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