Brisbane’s Rising Voices art collection makes history at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum
Brisbane is used to importing art from Europe; QAGOMA’s current blockbuster exhibition of Scandinavian artist Olafur Eliasson is a prime example of this.
However, in a reversal of this flow, Queensland Art Gallery | The Gallery of Modern Art exported a major exhibition of his work to one of the most important galleries in Europe, the Victoria & Albert Museum in South Kensington, London.
Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific It celebrates QAGOMA’s art from these regions.
The works were collected throughout the 30 years of the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, the galleries’ flagship event.
V&A visitors will pay £17 ($32) to see the exhibition Rising Voices The exhibition will last until January 10, 2027.
QAGOMA director Chris Saines said: Rising Voices It marked “a turning point” for the gallery, as the V&A became one of the most influential and visited museums in the world.
“Visitors to the V&A will be amazed by the astonishing diversity of artistic and material practices that have distinguished the Triennale for over three decades,” he said.
Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek said: Rising Voices It was “an important moment for contemporary art in our region” and provided an international platform for local artists.
More than 4 million visitors have experienced the Asia Pacific Triennial over the past three decades and the event has generated $140 million into the Queensland economy, Langbroek said.
It is on display in the V&A’s Porter Gallery. Rising Voices Artworks from Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and beyond are on display.
Queensland artists Michael Cook, Naomi Hobson, Shirley Macnamara, Ken Thaiday Sr and Judy Watson also appear.
“These works have never been seen before in the UK, but they speak to histories and perspectives that are essential to a fuller understanding of our shared contemporary world,” said V&A exhibition director Daniel Slater.
Founded in 1852, the Victoria and Albert Museum has a collection of more than 4.5 million pieces of art, design and historical crafts.
A new building has recently opened at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London, containing an archive of musician and artist David Bowie’s collection.
Get instant alerts for important breaking news. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.
Nick Dent is a Culture Reporter for the Brisbane Times covering the arts and things to do in the city.Connect via email.
