Recently I took my 10-year-old daughter Hope to see the inaugural exhibition at the White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale. The Exhibition, “White Rabbit collection: fresh art from China” was about to close and I really wanted to see it. Hope was on school holidays and I thought she might enjoy it.

The White Rabbit Gallery was founded by Judith Neilson and opened to the public in August last year. Our interest in it started way before that as we watched it being reconstructed and renovated from the window of Queen Street Studio. We were all fascinated by the stories of a private collector who not only had an extensive collection of modern Chinese art, over 160 pieces, all of which dated from after 2000, but also had the money to totally gut and renovate one of the loveliest buildings in Chippendale.

For Hope and I our visit turned out to be one of the best art gallery experiences we have ever had. The exhibition itself was a wonderful visual feast, from the neon panties just inside the door to the intricate detail of the pictures of Chinese starlets on the top floor.

On every level (the gallery has four) there was a guide who was happy to explain the artworks if we wanted them to and one of them even took the time to listen to Hope’s explanation of how the paper one of the artists had used might have been made. At no time did I feel we were being watched in case we tampered with the works.

John and I have always taken the kids to exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Galley of NSW, and last July we took them down to the National Gallery in Canberra to see the Vanity Fair Portrait exhibition. I have to say that with the exception of the Biennale a couple of years ago it is always stressful.

Admittedly Jack, our youngest, is four and a bit of a handful, but without exception the guides/guards are officious and often rude. I know we can’t have kids putting there grubby prints on priceless pieces of art and I know that serious art lovers want to view the art without screaming children running around but I find it hard to believe that most of the artists responsible for the works wouldn’t want parents to be able to introduce children to art in all it’s forms. Children are like sponges and the more we expose them to new ideas the better.

So well done Judith and the crew at White Rabbit. Thank you for allowing us to experience your lovely gallery and the wonderful art works stress free. We are definitely coming to see the new exhibition “The Toa of now” soon. Samantha Yates

http://www.whiterabbitcollection.org/