Rei Naito’s pillow for the dead 1998 (illustrated) offers a quiet memorial to those who have no-one to mourn their passing. The work’s miniature, gossamer form is a metaphor for the fragility of our existence. This tiny cushion of air woven in delicate organza and thread, small enough to fit in your palm, is fragile and…
Since 2008, a Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa) has become a natural part of the urban landscape outside the Gallery of Modern Art. Today, in conversation with the architecture, grounds and public art of the surrounding precinct, the towering tree creates a quiet canopy for gathering and contemplation, its lofty branches punctuating views to the sky…
The fibrous souls 2018–21 currently in the Queensland Art Gallery Watermall is constructed with 70 giant shikas — embroidered, reticulated bags typically made of jute strings that are tied to a beam in the ceiling of houses and used to hold pots and food containers — Shikas are found in almost every house in rural…
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A rare group of paintings by the late North Indian painter Kalu Ram are unique examples of the highly experimental artform and complex intangible concepts of Tantrism. Ram’s paintings communicate the untameable cosmic energy of Tantric belief, drawing on a knowledge system where spirituality and art are inextricably linked as are tradition and experimentation. From…
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Four works by Rokni Haerizadeh point to the beast in us all, and aim to ‘re-sensitise’ viewers to the violence and political unrest we see increasingly normalised in the media. Rokni Haerizadeh is an Iranian-born, Dubai-based painter and animator who has garnered international attention for his lyrical social critiques painted in a contemporary Persian miniature…
A Diasporic Mythology 2021 is a kinetic and sound installation commissioned for ‘The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’ (APT10) and developed from Bagus Pandega’s interest in the historical narratives and circulation of instruments. The artist became fascinated with a particular koto instrument, named a Taishogoto, dating to the Taisho period (1912–26), that he…
Continue reading » “Installation is a layering of sound, visuals & mechanics”
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art stands and recognise the creative contribution First Australians make to the art and culture of this country.