The Art of Law Behlau Murakami Grant

The Artof Law

When ART and LAW come together in one space.

IMAGES BY CARIN GARLAND | WORDS BY LUISA SLACK-SMITH

It’s not often you walk into a busy law practice and find yourself immersed in an industrial style ARTspace. A carefully curated Art gallery showcasing a dozen or so pieces by Australia's most acclaimed artists, it can easily be said, this is no ordinary law firm, nor are the partners who run it.

The firm's sleek modern industrial design and collaborative approach to the Behlau Murakami Grant ARTspace, was spawned by Family Law Partner Jason Murakami.

“My partners Ron Behlau, Shane Grant and I all have a real belief in the importance of the arts and the role it plays in society so where we can, we like to give back to that sector.”

Such is their passion for the Arts, that this year, Behlau Murakami Grant in conjunction with the Queensland College of Art, announced its annual Portraiture Prize which is the largest undergraduate portraiture prize in the state. This year the subject matter for the Portraiture Prize is wrongful convictions. Criminal Law Partner Ron Behlau developed the idea for the Prize to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Murakami’s establishment of the internationally renowned Innocence Project at Griffith University on the Gold Coast.

“Portraiture is one of our favourite forms of painting and given the anniversary and our involvement in the work the Project does to help free innocent people, we thought it fitting to make this year’s subject matter one which is close to our hearts."

And now these avant-garde lawyers are opening their ARTSpace to the Scenic Rim with the announcement of a prestigious inaugural art prize next year.

The 2022 Behlau Murakami Grant Landscape Art Prize will be offered to artists depicting the landscape from the Scenic Rim.

In a homage to Australian artist Margaret Olley’s works from her time at Boonah in the 1960’s, the art prize is intended to put the regions beauty and artists on show.

Commercial litigation Partner Shane Grant said the award offering would also re-ignite interest in the landscape painting form and draw greater attention to the region.

“Covid has had a very negative effect on the fine arts, and we hope that the Prize will showcase the talent that the Scenic Rim has to offer."

“The exhibition of the works gives an opportunity for Scenic Rim artists to have their work on public display.”

“We are excited to see iconic Scenic Rim landscapes imortailised for this exhibition.”

The finalists of the 2022 Behlau Murakami Grant Landscape Art Prize will have their works exhibited at the Behlau Murakami Grant ARTSpace at Southport, Gold Coast before the announcement of the winner in October 2022.

As we said, no ordinary Law firm.

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