QVMAG's Curators in the Pub series to sort gems from junk

QVMAG Curators in the Pub talk series in Launceston

 

Have you ever wondered about the history behind a special family object? Or maybe you have an item that's left you wondering about the story behind it?

This month, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery's Public History Curator Jon Addison will be debunking the tales behind your favourite objects with 'Gems or Junk: is your family heirloom really that special?' as part of the Curators in the Pub talk series.

With talks held at the Kingsway Bar and the Kings Bridge Bar and Restaurant in Launceston throughout August, the Curators in the Pub series will explore the forgotten stories of sporting clubs in Launceston, the history behind your beloved family heirlooms, and why Tasmania is the place to be for artists, makers and everything in between.

General Manager of Creative Arts & Cultural Services Shane Fitzgerald said the QVMAG Curators in the Pub series would be an exciting new offering for Launceston's events calendar in August.

'The Curators in the Pub talk series is a great way to share the incredible knowledge of our Curatorial team at QVMAG,' Fitzgerald said.

'There are many stories waiting to be shared from the QVMAG collection and this free event series is a great way to bring that knowledge out into the city for everyone to enjoy.'

Curator of Public History Jon Addison looking at an old sewing machine

Image: QVMAG Public History Curator Jon Addison looking a vintage sewing machine. 

QVMAG Public History Curator Jon Addison said the Curators in the Pub talk series was a great new program for QVMAG to launch in 2022.

'It's always enjoyable to find new and creative ways to share tales from our collection — particularly when it comes to taking these events to new venues across City,' Addison said.

'Our team have had a lot of fun putting this talk series together and we're looking forward to the upcoming events.

'I'm particularly looking forward to our Gems or Junk event as we explore the history behind family heirlooms brought along on the night. It's always interesting to see what people pass down through each generation.'

Talks include: 

A history of sporting clubs in Launnie

6.30pm, Thursday, 04 August 2022 | Kingsway Bar

Join History detective Ross Smith and History Curator Jon Addison for a trip down sporting memory lane, as they reveal the many forgotten sporting teams of the past. If you have any sporting memorabilia you may wish to show or find out about, bring it in. You may find that your grandparent was a sporting great.

Island mecca — why artists flock to Tassie

6.30pm, Thursday, 11 August 2022 | Kingsway Bar

Join QVMAG Senior Curator of Art Ashley Bird and local artist Josh Foley as they talk about street art to fine art in Tasmania and find out what makes Tassie the place to be for artists, makers and everything in between.

Gems or Junk: is your family heirloom really that special?

6.30pm, Thursday, 18 August 2022 | Kings Bridge Bar and Restaurant

Do you have a special family object? Do you own a 'thing' which is really interesting but you don't know anything about it? If your answer to any of this is 'Yes', you will enjoy Gems or Junk with QVMAG History Curator, Jon Addison as he answers your curly questions about the history of interesting items you might own. It's like a travelling antique fair — but without valuations and with beer.

The Curators in the Pub talk series is free to attend with registration via the QVMAG Eventbrite page.

Issued 4 August 2022.

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