11th Asia Pacific Triennial Showcases 70 Artists from 30+ Countries at QAGOMA

The Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) will present the 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT) from November 30, 2024, to April 27, 2025. Featuring 70 artists, collectives, and projects from over 30 countries, the APT will showcase more than 500 artworks spanning a range of contemporary and community-based customary art practices.

Curated by QAGOMA’s specialist Asian and Pacific curatorial team, along with collaborators across the region, the exhibition will present new commissions and innovative works by artists including Dana Awartani, Brett Graham, D Harding, Mit Jai Inn, Kikik Kollektive, Saodat Ismailova, Dawn Ng, Yeung Tong Lung, and Haus Yuriyal. These contributions will reflect the ongoing evolution of contemporary art across vast geographies and cultural contexts.

Chris Saines CNZM, Director of QAGOMA, emphasized the Triennial’s longstanding commitment to capturing the dynamic shifts and important developments in contemporary art from the Asia Pacific region. For more than three decades, the event has provided audiences with diverse perspectives and a multiplicity of experiences, reflecting the complex interplay of cultures and contemporary art practices.

Some of the key highlights of the exhibition include:

• Haus Yuriyal: A multi-part project led by Brisbane-based artist Yuriyal Eric Bridgeman, showcasing works from 28 artists in Papua New Guinea’s Jiwaka/Simbu Province. The project will feature Kuman paintings, tree fern sculptures, bilum designs, and a video picture house, all set against the backdrop of a lush harvest garden in QAG’s sculpture courtyard.

• Mit Jai Inn: The renowned Thai artist will present a dramatic interactive environment reimagining painting and abstraction. His suspended tunnels, cascading curtains, and towering scrolls in the QAG Watermall will invite visitors to immerse themselves in a maze-like experience.

• Brett Graham: New Zealand artist Brett Graham’s monumental sculptures and video installation, Tai Moana Tai Tangata, will occupy GOMA’s Long Gallery, exploring the solidarity between Taranaki and Tainui Māori forged during the New Zealand Wars.

• Kikik Kollektive: A large-scale mural by the Iloilo-based collective from the Philippines, Tul-an sang aton kamal-aman (Bones of our elders), will depict ancient spiritual beliefs, local figures, and cultivation practices through the imagery of a serpent deity associated with the moon.

• Dana Awartani: The Saudi Arabia/Palestine artist will present Standing by the Ruins, an installation combining Islamic geometric craft techniques with themes of Arabic ruin poetry, addressing war, cultural destruction, and healing.

The exhibition will also introduce four co-curated projects focused on contemporary art from Nepal, the Arnarvon Islands in the Solomon Islands, the Torba Province of Vanuatu, and Mindanao in the Southern Philippines. These projects will explore themes such as ecological care, intergenerational migration experiences, and innovative storytelling techniques.

In addition to visual art, the Triennial will feature five Asia Pacific Triennial Cinema programs, exploring Central Asian cinema, futurism on screen, and career surveys of directors like Tsai Ming-liang, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, and Kamila Andini. Live performances, including a music and film event with composer Eiko Ishibashi, will be supported by Presenting Partner Crumpler.

The Triennial is made possible through the support of the Queensland Government, Creative Australia, and key partners including the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, Shayher Group, and Urban Art Projects. Tourism and Events Queensland also backs the event, which is a major highlight in the region’s cultural calendar.