A ‘living’ exhibition at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery will grow over the coming months, as creative responses by community members and local artists are added to hang alongside a selection of historical works from the Collection.
Dr Egmont Schmidt Memorial Collection: A Contemporary Lens showcases a historically important and culturally valuable collection of artworks by early 20th century painters and printmakers.
Now, 100 years after the creation of many of the artworks, Bundaberg Regional Galleries will invite the community to view the exhibition, and determine their own creative responses, whether that be through drawing, poetry, music, prose, digital media, or performance.
Cr Learmonth said the exhibition presented a wonderful opportunity to be inspired by some of the oldest artworks in the public collection.
“We invite the community to visit the exhibition and view the artworks, and then spend time considering their relevance in our current world,” Cr Learmonth said.
“A variety of stimuli will be in the gallery space to help people respond including easels, drawing materials, a ‘conversation corner’, Lego, a keyboard, and sensory items.
“Throughout the exhibition, selected ‘response’ works from the community will be added to the space, furthering the conversation about how we view and interpret the Collection.”
Dr Egmont Schmidt Memorial Collection
The artworks in the Collection were acquired by prominent Bundaberg physician Dr Egmont Theodore Carl Schmidt (1886-1956) during the first half of the 20th Century.
A community-minded man, Dr Schmidt helped found the Bundaberg Art Society in 1939 and served as the group’s inaugural President.
His private collection was donated to Bundaberg City Council by Dr Schmidt’s estate trustees in 1956, with the understanding that an art gallery befitting the city would be established and the artworks would form the nucleus of its public collection.
The gifted works were held under the custodianship of the Bundaberg Arts Society and kept in the Civic Centre and then the School of Arts building until 1995, when the new Bundaberg Arts Centre, now Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery, was opened, and the care of the collection returned to the Council.
The Bundaberg Regional Council Art Collection, comprised of four sub-collections, now includes over 400 artworks across a wide range of art forms.
Learn more about the Collection through this informative video.
Dr Egmont Schmidt Memorial Collection: A Contemporary Lens opens Friday 14 February at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery.
The opening night begins at 5.30 pm, and all are welcome to attend this free event.
