The William Robinson Gallery
William Robinson in his studio,
Brisbane 2009.
Photography: Carl Warner.
The William Robinson Gallery and study centre is an important focus of the restored Old Government House. Located upstairs in the front of the House and opened to the public in August 2009, the Gallery and study centre honours the life and work of this distinguished Queensland artist.
QUT is William Robinson's alma mater where he studied and taught for thirty-two years at several of the institution's predecessor institutions. His first solo exhibition was held in 1967 but it was not until the early 1980s that his work attracted critical attention. Robinson's success in the 1987 Archibald Prize for portraiture and Wynne Prize for landscape in 1990 brought him to national prominence. In 1989 he left teaching to concentrate fully on his art practice.
'My art is a visual autobiography of my life. My concerns have been about the places where I have lived and these have shaped my whole imagination. The William Robinson Gallery provides a place to tell a personal and coherent story'
- William Robinson 2008.
Featuring works from QUT's important William Robinson Collection and from several private collections, the Gallery's opening exhibition highlights the major developments in Robinson's art over four decades. The artist's paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture and ceramics are shown alongside photographs, sketch books and other related material.
A primary focus is the artist's depictions of the lush rainforest of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, which established his national standing and secured his rightful place within Australia's great landscape painting tradition.
The Gallery's education and public programs provide valuable insight into Robinson's art. Online resources for schools complement on-site tours. Occasional lectures by high-profile speakers provide a framework for examining Robinson's work within the contexts of Australian art and cultural history.
The William Robinson Gallery is a national centre for the study of Robinson's work. Curators, researchers and members of the public can arrange access to a range of archival material including the research collection of prints, drawings and watercolours; documentary photographs; exhibition catalogues; newspaper and magazine clippings; audio-visual material; and reference books.
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Realms of Vision For purchase: $25.00 Written by the Gallery's Director Stephen Rainbird Available at Old Government House |