'Transparent' demonstrates the enduring appeal of watercolour as a medium with 150 works from the Gallery's Collection. Used by early settlers to depict the landscape, by later artists to evoke the growing city of Brisbane and by wartime artists to record daily activities, watercolour is portable and adaptable, perfect for capturing quick impressions.

The exhibition follows the early colonial era and late nineteenth century into modern developments in the early twentieth century, the challenges of World War Two, and the development of a local strain of expressionism, while Joe Rootsey's watercolours showed the powerful connection of Aboriginal Australians with the land. Other artists featured in this exhibition include Conrad Martens, Harriet Jane Neville-Rolfe, J.J. Hilder, Vida Lahey, Kenneth Macqueen, WG Grant and Joy Roggenkamp.

'Transparent' presents the first comprehensive survey of the Gallery's watercolour collection, bringing to light many never before displayed works from the mid nineteenth century to the 1980s. The beautifully illustrated publication includes a curatorial overview of the artworks, a conservator's insight into fine artist papers and biographical notes on the artists.