On Brunswick St. in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley lies an artist run initiative called Jugglers. This gallery/artist's space is host to numerous events including this year's inaugural, BARI (Brisbane Artist Run Initiative) festival, the Marie Ellis OAM Prize for Drawing and frequent exhibitions. Amongst their primary goals is the validation of street and spray can art. To assist in this goal the entire alleyway running down the side of the gallery and the lot out the back have been converted into sort of street art gallery, the walls being almost entirely covered in graffiti and spray painted murals up to two storeys tall. Inside, Jugglers has a large main gallery floor, and a smaller gallery space upstairs alongside several studio spaces.
During my visit the upstairs gallery was in the course of being rearranged, but I thankfully had the opportunity to view several works that were on display at the top of the staircase, previous Marie Ellis prize winners. In particular Glen Grienke's piece, the first prize winner's piece was awe inspiring. Featuring two figures drawn in a mesh like fashion, their forms unraveling at multiple points throughout the form, giving a fragility to the large in stature drawing.
As I entered into the main gallery I was greeted immediately by several works in charcoal that dominated the inside wall by John Briggs, this piece seemed a prime example for his works, the girl hiding behind the vase creates such mystery that it was hard to go past this work without granting it further consideration. John were several other artists who, while good, paled next to these works and the works of Cybel Borel de Bitche, whos paintings had an ephemeral musical quality.
I can't tell you how many times I've walked past Jugglers in my 'to-and-froing' through Brisbane's Fortitude Valley without actually going in, and now I really wish I had done so sooner.
For more information check out http://www.jugglers.org.au/exhibitions/
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