20 NOVEMBER 2015

MAJOR EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY ASIAN AND PACIFIC ART OPENS IN BRISBANE

• The only recurring art exhibition to focus on contemporary art from Australia, Asia and the Pacific
• More than 80 senior and emerging artists and artist groups from over 30 countries
• Featuring art from countries not previously explored by the APT

With highlights including a major installation of salvaged Queensland timber by Indian artist Asim Waqif, and a major new work by South Korean artist Haegue Yang consisting of 1000 venetian blinds suspended elegantly in the iconic Watermall, works by leading international contemporary artists will be revealed tomorrow when ‘The 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’ (APT8) opens at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA)

QAGOMA Director Chris Saines, CNZM, said that APT8 would explore the role of performance in recent art, and how the human form expresses cultural, social and political concerns.

‘APT has always responded to individual and collective artistic achievement. The rapid evolution of contemporary art practice in Asia and the Pacific has brought about APT8’s focus on performance and the body’s ability to tell stories and communicate ideas,’ said Mr Saines.

‘APT8 has seen Gallery curators travel to and explore art from countries not previously included in the series such as Mongolia, Nepal, the Kyrgyz Republic and Georgia.’

Queensland Premier and Minister for the Arts Annastacia Palaszczuk said the APT placed Queensland at the centre of contemporary art practice in the Asia Pacific.

‘Queensland Government investment in APT8 will continue the series’ legacy as a proven cultural tourism generator and major international drawcard,’ the Premier said.

The Premier is also the Patron of QAGOMA’s newly launched Asia Pacific Council.

‘The Asia Pacific Council is a new membership group of international leaders designed to support the Triennial’s sustainability and the Gallery’s vision to be the leading institution for the contemporary art of the region,’ Ms Palaszczuk said.

The Queensland Government is the Founding Supporter of the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art series. APT8 is made possible with the support of Principal Sponsor Audi Australia, and Principal Partners Tourism and Events Queensland as part of a dynamic calendar of events throughout the State, and the Australia Council for the Arts.

Audi Australia’s Managing Director Andrew Doyle said the company is pleased to support QAGOMA to continue delivering world-class artistic experiences to Queensland and Australian audiences.

‘QAGOMA has established a strong reputation for pushing boundaries, and the exhibitions that we are supporting are well-aligned to Audi’s focus on progressive and innovative thinking,’ Mr Doyle said.

‘For Audi, the partnership with one of Australia’s premier contemporary art institutions, QAGOMA, has allowed us to drive increased brand awareness in the Queensland region. It also provides us with a way of giving back to the community which supports the growth of the brand.’

APT8 Live, the first program of its type at the Gallery, will see key exhibition spaces and activities activated at regular intervals throughout the duration of the exhibition period, giving performance an emphatic presence. APT8 Live runs monthly from the opening weekend (21 and 22 November) until the closing weekend (9 and 10 April) and is supported by the Commonwealth through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Gallery’s world-renowned program for young visitors and their families continues with APT8 Kids, a dynamic range of hands-on, drawing and multimedia activities created by exhibiting artists. Among 12 projects, children can adorn their own poncho-like garment called a tiputa, contribute to a large-scale virtual drawing by maneuvering a digital car, and record their own whispered wish to be projected through speakers suspended from the Gallery’s ceiling.

APT8 Kids is supported by Principal Benefactor the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation and Major Sponsor Santos GLNG.

A children's book featuring activities to complete at home or in the classroom accompanies the APT8 Kids onsite offering and a touring program will see a selection of the exhibition activities presented to children and families in regional and remote Queensland.

‘The 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’ runs from 21 November 2015 to 10 April 2016 at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. Entry to the exhibition, related cinema programs and the opening weekend is free.

www.qagoma.qld.gov.au