After a long wait, the first major exhibition of the new HOTA Gallery has officially wrapped. SOLID GOLD: Artists from Paradise was a superb first outing for the brand-new building and growing staff, as well as a warm welcome to locals and visitors.
Hosting a collection of 19 artists, SOLID GOLD will remain the perfect love-letter to the Gold Coast. The works transformed Gallery 1 for the first time, bringing new life to the previously bare walls. Walking through the revolving doors, being greeted by the smell of a just unwrapped Gallery is a transformative experience that won’t be easily forgotten.
‘It’s absolutely fitting that the first ever major exhibition in HOTA Gallery is Solid Gold: Artists from Paradise, an exhibition of all new works by local artists,’ HOTA Director Gallery and Visual Arts, Tracy Cooper-Lavery, told RACQ Living.
‘Solid Gold showcases the incredible depth of creativity and talent in our city and will position local artists into the national conversation.’
A sentiment carried through the entire lifespan of the exhibition, over 49,000 visitors made their way to HOTA over the first eight weeks of opening, with 13,500 attending our launch weekend. Taking Ms Cooper-Lavery’s words to heart, the Gold Coast wasted no time making the building their own.
The works themselves have garnered national and international attention, with homegrown creatives finding themselves under a new, but well deserved, spotlight. Our partners-in-arms as we entered the uncharted waters of the HOTA Gallery for the first time, the artists were, are, and will continue to be the enduring heartbeat of the Voronoi adorned building.
Supported by our Exhibition Corporate Partner, Veracity, encouraging the passions of local artists spans beyond the arts sector itself. In a statement released on behalf of the company their enthusiasm was obvious:
‘Why support the arts? The answer is simple – the arts connect us to human experiences and communities, and after the year we’ve all gone through, we need this now more than ever before.
Veracity not only wanted to be part of HOTA’s new contemporary cultural precinct from the word go, but we were also keen to support Solid Gold – an exhibition so genuinely committed to showcasing incredible local talent and communities.’
Moving forward with two exhibitions to follow, the long shadow of SOLID GOLD and the many artists who were integral in the tidal wave splash the Gallery made, will continue to loom as an encouraging force for the talented Gallery team.
Welcoming Australian landscape legend William Robinson to the HOTA Gallery with the next major exhibition, Lyrical Landscapes, there is only new mountains to summit and higher heights to climb. Ending the year with the Australian exclusive Contemporary Masters from New York exhibition, featuring first looks at art from the Mugrabi Collection, the excitement will continue to flow through the veins of HOTA far into the bright future.
Be sure to book your journey and see what’s coming up at the HOTA Gallery.
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