Major Surrealist Survey Exhibition in Brisbane

BRISBANE, Australia, March 9, 2011 - One of the world's most important collections of surrealist art will be
shown at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Brisbane, Australia this year.

Queensland Art Gallery Director Tony Ellwood said Paris's renowned Centre
Pompidou would loan the core of its surrealist collection for 'Surrealism:
The Poetry of Dreams,' a major survey exhibition showing from June 11 to
October 2, 2011.

"The exhibition will include 180 paintings, sculptures, photographs,
works on paper and films by 56 artists, dating from 1913 through to the late
1970s," Mr Ellwood said.

"The surrealist collection from the Musee national d'art moderne at the
Centre Pompidou is Europe's most significant and we are thrilled GoMA is the
exclusive Australian venue for this superb exhibition.

"The exhibition celebrates one of the most important artistic movements
of the twentieth-century and offers audiences unprecedented access to an
astonishing collection of works.

"Presented with the support of Events Queensland, this is the first major
survey exhibition of surrealist art in Australia since 1993," Mr Ellwood
said.

Events Queensland CEO John O'Sullivan said that securing this exclusive
exhibition would further reinforce Brisbane's position as a dynamic arts and
cultural hub.

"'Surrealism' follows last year's highly successful 'Valentino,
Retrospective' which attracted more than 200,000 visitors," Mr O'Sullivan
said.

Curated by Didier Ottinger, Deputy Director of the Musee national d'art
moderne, the exhibition will trace the history of Surrealism from the
movement's origins to late manifestations in the 1960s and 1970s.

Mr Ellwood said the exhibition will feature iconic surrealist works by
artists such as Giorgio de Chirico, Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, Alberto
Giacometti, Rene Magritte, Joan Miro and Yves Tanguy.

"The Centre Pompidou also has significant holdings of surrealist
photography and cinema, by key practitioners such as Jacques-Andre Boiffard,
Claude Cahun, Luis Bunuel, Eli Lotar, Dora Maar and Man Ray.

"The Gallery will present an extensive film program, an innovative
Children's Art Centre program integrating surrealist games, weekly music
performances, talks and other special events and public programs," he said.

Funding for insurance has been provided through the Queensland Government
Exhibition Indemnification Scheme, administered by Arts Queensland.

Tickets are on sale through www.qtix.com.au

For more information visit www.qag.qld.gov.au/surrealism

    Media contact:   AMELIA GUNDELACH,
                     Senior Media Officer
                     Queensland Art Gallery /
                     Gallery of Modern Art
                     Ph: +61 (0)7 3840 7162
                     Mob: +61 (0)404 994 985
                     amelia.gundelach@qag.qld.gov.au

AMELIA GUNDELACH, Senior Media Officer, Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art, +61-(0)7-3840-7162, +61-(0)404-994-985, amelia.gundelach at qag.qld.gov.au