Ziggy the Westie is back!

Hey there. I’m Ziggy the Westie, you might remember me from my review of the great dogs and creatures in the ‘Portrait of Spain: Masterpieces from the Prado‘ exhibition in 2012. I’m back to tell you that you must, absolutely, without question, get yourself to QAGOMA for two pawsome exhibitions.

At the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) there is a very hip show from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) called ‘California Design: 1930–1965. Living in a Modern Way’. Its got loads of amazing stuff in it including a big silver caravan called an Airstream Clipper which was made in the olden days — 1936 — and it’s kind of round and long and came across the Pacific Ocean on a big boat to be here in Brisbane. There’s also some very comfy-looking chairs and sofas which I would love to have a sleep on. My favs though are the very cool car called a Studebaker Avanti manufactured 1963–64 which looks like it would go very fast and a big yellow surfboard made by a famous surfer bloke called Greg Noll. There’s heaps of other things like clothes for humans, pots and jewellery (no dog collars though) and a gold statue called Oscar. There’s even special Californian-style food in the Cafe — the burger is great!

Ziggy visits ‘California Design: 1930–1965. Living in a Modern Way’ and has his photo taken next to the Avanti 1961 manufactured 1963–64. Did you know that Studebaker commissioned international design star Raymond Loewy to create this stylish sportscar.

Ziggy visits ‘California Design: 1930–1965. Living in a Modern Way’ and has his photo taken next to the Avanti 1961 manufactured 1963–64. Did you know that Studebaker commissioned international design star Raymond Loewy to create this stylish sportscar. / View full image

Over at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), a Chinese artist called Cai Guo-Qiang has made the most amazing art I’ve ever seen! This guy is something else.

There are 99 animals in Heritage 2013 all standing around a pool of water drinking and even though there are lions and tigers and wolves and bears and leopards and even an elephant — they are all just hanging out together drinking from the lake. It’s really peaceful and quiet — it’s like just so totally awesome. Apparently, Cai saw a lake on Stradbroke Island, just off the coast of Brisbane Queensland, which inspired him to make this massive artwork. The Gallery loved it so much they acquired it for the Collection with the generous support of the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Diversity Foundation through and with the assistance of the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation.

Ziggy visits Head On 2006 on display in ‘Cai Guo-Qiang: Falling Back to Earth’

Ziggy visits Head On 2006 on display in ‘Cai Guo-Qiang: Falling Back to Earth’ / View full image

And, as if that wasn’t enough, he has also brought a huge tree into the Gallery called Eucalyptus 2013 and made another installation Head On 2006 of 99 wolves jumping and leaping about into a glass wall (what is this 99 thing?… the number of animals is symbolic: nine and 99 recur frequently in Cai’s work. Nine represents ‘long‑lasting’ in Chinese numerology, while 99 suggests for the artist something that is not quite complete, providing a sense of insufficiency and expectation). Now, I can’t quite imagine my ancestors actually doing this but I am told that this installation is symbolic of human behaviour … mmm … weird those humans. Now, just in case you are wondering — all these animals are not real — phew!

If you want to feel good, eat some great food, see some fantastic artworks and maybe think a little bit, then get yourselves to QAGOMA — hope to see you there. Just a reminder… ‘California Design: 1930–1965’ must close Sunday 9 February, so be quick!

‘California Design 1930–1965: Living in a Modern Way’ curated by Wendy Kaplan (Curator and Department Head) and Bobbye Tigerman (Associate Curator) from LACMA’s Decorative Arts and Design Department, presents over 250 design objects. ‘Cai Guo-Qiang: Falling Back to Earth’, presented by Tourism and Events Queensland and Santos GLNG Project, features four installations, including two newly commissioned works directly inspired by the landscapes of southeast Queensland

Ziggy, very special guest writer

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    30 minutes or 3 hours: Here’s the best way to spend your time on a visit to QAGOMA

    If you’re a local or visiting Brisbane, whether you have a spare 30 minutes to drop in for a dose of art at either of our neighbouring buildings — the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art — or a leisurely 3 hours to wander both sites, here are some suggestions to make the most of your visit. Pick and choose your preferences from the range of contemporary and historical Australian, Asian, Pacific and international art on display.There’s something for everyone, whether you’re aged 3 or 103. Queensland Art Gallery The Queensland Art Gallery building opened in 1982 as part of the first stage of the Queensland Cultural Centre at South Bank; until then, the Gallery never had a purpose-built permanent home. Designed around the Brisbane River, the spectacular Watermall’s cavernous interior runs parallel to the waterway threading its way through the ‘River City’. Collection highlight: Australian art The work of Australian artists have been collected by the Queensland Art Gallery since its foundation in 1895, however few works in our Collection have enjoyed as much popularity as Under the jacaranda 1903 by R Godfrey Rivers (illustrated). Considered a quintessential image of Brisbane, the clouds of purple blooms capture the attention of Gallery visitors and has ensured the painting’s enduring appeal. Hanging alongside is Monday morning 1912 by Vida Lahey (illustrated), another of the Gallery’s most loved works. The painting of two young women doing the family wash, once a common sight in Australian households, now a recording of a by-gone era. Interesting facts: Under the jacaranda depicts the first jacaranda tree grown in Australia, planted in Brisbane’s Botanic Gardens in 1864; while the laundry room depicted in Monday morning was located in the artist’s home, at the time piped water and built-in concrete troughs were considered modern conveniences! Location: Australian Art Collection, Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Galleries (10-13) R Godfrey Rivers Under the jacaranda 1903 Vida Lahey Monday morning 1912 Collection highlight: Contemporary Australian art The jewellery-like intimacy of Fiona Hall’s Australian set (from ‘Paradisus Terrestris Entitled’ series) 1998–99 (illustrated) is a juxtaposition between culture and nature; human body parts combine with native botanical species. Interesting fact: The artist has transformed humble disposal sardine-tins by engraving, chasing and burnishing in the tradition of the colonial silversmith. Location: Australian Art Collection, Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Galleries (10-13) Fiona Hall Australian set 1998–99 Collection highlight: Indigenous Australian art Artistic expressions from the world's oldest continuing culture are drawn from all regions of the country in the Gallery's holdings of Indigenous Australian artworks. Kaapa Mbitjana Tjampitjinpa was a well-known artist and respected Elder of Anmatyerre/Arrernte heritage. Goanna Story c.1973-74 is from one of the traditional dreaming stories, and this work shows four of the reptiles moving towards a waterhole. Interesting fact: The artwork has a strong sense of symmetry; one half is a mirror image of the other. Location: Australian Art Collection, Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Galleries (10-13) Kaapa Mbitjana Tjampitjinpa Goanna Story c.1973–74 Collection highlight: International art Surrounded by works from Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (illustrated) and Edgar Degas (illustrated), La Belle Hollandaise (The beautiful Dutch girl) 1905 (illustrated) is a key painting that marks a transition from the subdued hues and emaciated figures of Pablo Picasso’s ‘blue period’ to the serenity and warmth of the ‘rose period’. Picasso must have been pleased with the result — he inscribed the work at the top left as a gift to Paco Durio, his dear friend and neighbour in the Parisian suburb of Montmartre. Interesting fact: Pablo Picasso's La belle Hollandaise was donated to the Gallery in 1959; at the time this major work by one of the greatest living twentieth century masters; set a world record price at £55,000. Location: International Art Collection, Philip Bacon Galleries (7-9) Pablo Picasso La Belle Hollandaise 1905 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec Tete de fille (Head of a girl) 1892 Edgar Degas Three dancers at a dance class c.1888-90 Exhibition highlight: The Asia Pacific Triennial For more than three decades, the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art has showcased an evolving mix of the most exciting and important developments in contemporary art from across Australia, Asia and the Pacific. During the 11th chapter, wander through Thai artist Mit Jai Inn’s suspended canvas tunnel in the Watermall (illustrated), its immense hanging ribbon panels inhabit a space between ground and ceiling; then onto Papua New Guinea’s display by collective Haus Yuriyal (illustrated). Interesting fact: The inaugural Asia Pacific Triennial in 1993 was the first project of its kind in the world to focus on the contemporary art of Asia and the Pacific. ‘The 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’ which features the work of 70 artists, collectives and projects from 30 countries is at the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art until 27 April 2025. Location: Queensland Art Gallery Mit Jai Inn Tunnel #APT 2024 Haus Yuriyal 2024 Roy and Matilda For those visiting with children of all ages, drop by the home of Roy and Matilda, two mice who one day decided to visit the Queensland Art Gallery, loved it so much, they decided to say. Just look for the letters 'R' and 'M' carved into their beautiful wooden front door. Interesting fact: One day, a man who worked in the Galley’s workshop restoring and carving frames found they were living here and decided to make them a special little front door. Location: Australian Art Collection, Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Galleries (10-13) Watermall & Sculpture Courtyard The Queensland Art Gallery’s grand Watermall — a visitor favourite for both regular art lovers and tourists — extends far beyond the Gallery’s interior; past the Dandelion fountains (illustrated) through to the reflection pond and Sculpture Courtyard. Why not relax and enjoy a quiet moment of contemplation at the adjoining QAG Cafe. Interesting facts:...
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    Family wash day: Once a common sight

    Monday morning helped launch Frances Vida Lahey‘s (1882–1968) career when the painting of two young women doing the family wash — one at the tub scrubbing, the other taking clothes out of the boiler, both surrounded with a swirl of steam — was exhibited in October 1912 at the 24th Annual Exhibition of the Queensland Art Society held at the Brisbane Town Hall (illustrated). Lahey was an established presence on the Brisbane art scene by then, aged 30, and having been exhibiting with the Society since 1902, however just the scale of the painting would have made it a stand out in the exhibition alone. Monday morning (illustrated), is now Lahey’s most famous, and one of the Gallery’s most loved works. The subject of women’s work was unusual for painters at this time, as Australian artists generally depicted the more genteel aspects of women’s lives; such as reading or sewing. Monday morning however portrays a once common sight in Australian households — wash day — in the past, Mondays were often set aside as a day for families to wash their clothes, now a recording of a by-gone era with the arrival of electricity and mechanical aids. Brisbane Town Hall Both public and critical responses to the painting were enthusiastic, and it was immediately donated to the Queensland National Art Gallery through Art Society member and Queensland poet, Emily Coungeau. Interestingly, an illustration of Monday morning in the Art Society’s exhibition catalogue indicates that there may have been an earlier version of the work, perhaps destroyed in the March 1912 fire at the Fitzroy Building in Adelaide Street where Lahey had her studio and the Art Society their rooms. The reproduction shows a compositional change from the version in the Gallery’s Collection. Of all household tasks, the weekly wash was the most arduous and the most unpopular at the time, washing machines did not arrive in most households until the 1950s, and as depicted in Monday morning, laundry facilities were simple — a wooden, metal or concrete tub, combined with a washing board and a wringer — the routine of heating water on a stove or boiling as seen here, soaking in preparation for hand-scrubbing with a bar of soap was hot, sweaty, and backbreaking, and the relentless steam in the sub-tropical heat and humidity of Queensland would have been unbearable. By painting this domestic scene, it can be said that Lahey’s aim was to shine light on women’s work as there seemed a definite need to create respect for the ordinary work of women, using it as subject matter gave status to this necessary form of service. Lahey was interested in the depiction of female figures in domestic surrounds throughout her career, however none of those images possess the authority or impact of Monday morning. Vida Lahey ‘Monday morning’ 1912 Lahey was from a moderately affluent background and the painting was heavily staged — the artist’s younger sister Esme modelled as the figure at the washtub, the other figure is Flora Campbell, a family friend. The artist's father, an Irish-born farmer and timber-miller had moved the family from ‘Sidney House’ (illustrated) some three years earlier to ‘Greylands’ (illustrated). 'Greylands', built in 1877 was part of a parcel of land originally purchased by Thomas Lodge Murray-Prior (1819-92) in 1859. On his death, the British-born pastoralist and politician left a group of Flemish and Dutch paintings to the newly formed state of Queensland. When the Queensland National Art Gallery opened in 1895, his bequest was the nucleus of our Collection. One of Brisbane’s earliest grand homes built in Indooroopilly, 'Greylands' was the residence of the Lahey family from 1910–12 where the laundry room in the painting was located, indicating that the Lahey’s enjoyed the modern conveniences for the time of piped water and built-in concrete troughs. Vida Lahey 1903 Sidney House Greylands Lahey was bom at Pimpama in 1882, a northern suburb in the City of Gold Coast, some 45km south-east of Brisbane, the eldest child in a family of eleven. Lahey trained with local art master R Godfrey Rivers at the Brisbane Technical College from 1898 until 1904 (illustrated) and in her early 20s spent two periods of study at the National Gallery of Victoria School of Arts, Melbourne, in 1905–06 and 1909; conventional training for a young Australian artist in the Edwardian era. Her instructors at the Gallery School were the distinguished academician, Bernard Hall, Director of the National Gallery of Victoria and Master of the School of Arts, and the prominent Australian painter Frederick McCubbin. Monday morning therefore follows the tradition established at the Gallery School, where students were encouraged to produce large narrative paintings. Painted in Brisbane after the artist returned from Melbourne, the work was Lahey’s version of an academic set-piece. Brisbane Technical College National Gallery School In 1915 Lahey went to London for family reasons and unofficially to further her studies but became heavily involved in war-work. Lahey painted few works on the scale of Monday morning, this outstanding work by the young Lahey remains the artist’s only surviving large-scale work of the period. Delve deeper into the QAGOMA Collection Vida Lahey 'Busy fingers' 1913 Vida Lahey 'The carters’ rest, Eagle Street' 1913 Vida Lahey 'Wattle in a yellow vase' c.1912-15 Curatorial extracts, research and supplementary material compiled by Elliott Murray, Senior Digital Marketing Officer, QAGOMA