For 125 years the Launceston Art Society has been creating, developing and curating artists across the nation.
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To mark this significant milestone the LAS is exhibiting The Journey, a body of work which includes 85 pieces spanning back to 1891 at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery.
Since their inceptions, the gallery and art society have held a strong bond.
Head of the LAS organising committee Louise Skabo said the society exhibited at the gallery annually for about 40 years so they felt it was the ideal location to showcase the retrospective collection.
“This is an exhibition about people because a society like this cannot keep afloat for 125 years without a lot of dedication and volunteer hours,” Ms Skabo said.
Many of the pieces have been loaned to the LAS from private collectors and QVMAG.
“We are honouring the people who have been notable artist with our society over the years and those who contributed a lot to our society by being judges, teaches and running workshops for the committee,” Ms Skabo said.
QVMAG director Richard Mulvaney said they delved into their collection to find works from the LAS.
We are honouring the people who have been notable artist with our society.
- Louise Skabo
“Clearly over time our curators have been selectively buying some of the premium works and I was delighted that we had such a body of work that we could contribute to the exhibition,” he said.
Early on in the society’s lifespan it was at the forefront of cultural education and development within Northern Tasmania’s arts community.
“It (the LAS) was one of the few places which exhibited annually [and] organised loan exhibitions from artists all over Australia,” Ms Skabo said. “There weren’t many places that did that so we were really important in bringing art to the community.”
With the opening of QVMAG and the launch of LAS, Launceston began to cement its place as a regional city with a vast cultural pursuit.
Newly appointed LAS president Carolyn Riley said the exhibition represents a society which has flourished for 125 years.
“Most businesses run their course in 50 years if they are lucky, so I think this represents 125 years of an ongoing art community,” she said.
Co-curated by Carlene Bullock and Lynne Hutchins, The Journey is on show until February 19, 2017. Admission is free.
