Cairns business: Galleria partners with Lyons Gallery to bring Picasso, Matisse, Dali to Cairns

Work from some of history’s greatest artists has found a new home in Cairns as the city’s epicentre of luxury retailers finally swings open its doors after more than a year of closure.

AN extraordinary exhibition with original works by the likes of Picasso and Matisse as well as the world’s best-known photographers will herald the much-anticipated reopening of up-market boutique store T Galleria by DFS on Friday night.

The elegant Abbott St store has been fully-renovated and boasts 35 high-end brands with items including designer sunglasses, bags, shoes and jewellery.

Upstairs is a vast gallery space that will feature 84 works in a permanent exhibition space by the Lyons Gallery, which has nine galleries nationwide including two at Port Douglas.

Millions dollars worth of art will be on display for the grand reopening of the T Galleria fashion boutique on Friday night. The artwork is from the collection of acclaimed photographer Darryn Lyons, with many pieces available for sale. Lyons Gallery advisor Reno Nicastro and removalist Ron Andrews deliver the art at the T Galleria on Spence Street. Picture: Brendan Radke

All art is available to buy with prices ranging from $3500 to $250,000 and the exhibition is open to the public.

Works by the likes of Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Helmut Newton, John Lennon, Joan Miro, Patrick Lichfield, Lord Anthony Snowden, Max Dupain and Robert Mapplethorpe are being hung on Friday with Lyons Gallery founder Darryn Lyons curating.

“We really believe in the future of Cairns, and we have gotten in there early with a visionary look forward,” Mr Lyons said.

“Cairns will be quite a flagship because of the space we have and the partnership with DFS, it has been a great collaboration and their brands are a good fit for us.

“I have absolute confidence in the future of Cairns, it was taking some incredibly big steps pre-Covid and is on the precipice of being one of the greatest regional areas in Australia.

“Cairns has incredible potential but the biggest injection needs to be in the CBD and now is the time, coming out of Covid, to make some giant steps.”

Millions of dollars worth of art will be on display for the grand reopening of the T Galleria fashion boutique on Friday night. The artwork is from the collection of acclaimed photographer Darryn Lyons, with many pieces available for sale. Lyons Gallery advisor Reno Nicastro sits amongst the artwork as it arrives at the T Galleria on Spence Street. Picture: Brendan Radke

Street meets Reef is the concept behind the reopening of T Galleria by DFS.

DFS Oceania retail operations vice president Prashant Mahboobani said the Cairns store would be the global company’s first opening of 2022.

Cairns Regional Council chief executive Mica Martin and Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch will be among the invitees at the Friday night cocktail party launch – and building owner Frank Gasparin hopes to catch their ear.

The property investor has been trying to get support for a $2.5m plan to upgrade Abbott and Spence streets with a design inspired by Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

He has even offered to pay the interest on any loan the council takes to transform the CBD spot.

“This is a great opportunity to get the council to work on this and make it happen,” he said.

“It’s important for the gallery, for DFS and for all of Cairns,” he said.

The store will be open from Wednesday to Sunday between noon and 7pm.

Originally published as Cairns business: Galleria partners with Lyons Gallery to bring Picasso, Matisse, Dali to Cairns