The Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT) has been on show at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) in Brisbane since late last year. Despite thinking of it often, we hadn't managed a trip to the city to view it, until today. I realised a wee while ago that it was closing soon so we had to get organised and Sunday was a free-ish day, so we had a family lunch and delivery of kitchen items, but first of all we went to GOMA to see APT9.
There was only one piece I knew I really wanted to see. Jonathon Jones' untitled (giran) 2018.
We arrived as soon as the gallery opened and I asked a security person where we would find it and headed straight there. I knew that if I saw nothing else I needed to see this. And we did. And it was everything.
"Understanding wind is an important part of understanding country. Winds bring change, knowledge and new ideas to those prepared to listen". Jones writes.
In collaboration with Dr Uncle Stan Grant Snr AM, the work suggests a map of wind currents, of birds circling above, almost like the murmurations of starlings seen in the UK. A coordinated dance in the skies.
The key elements are traditional tools, and bound to each tool with hand made string is a small bundle of feathers. Many people answered Jones' call for feather to incorporate in the work, and they were delivered to him from all over the country.
Emu egg spoons, mussel shell scrapers, weaving start, bone awls, wooden spear points and stone knives make up the work, incorporating almost two thousand individually, hand crafted pieces.
And here it is in a panoramic shot which give you a sense of it, yet still not full ness of it.
It was accompanied by a sound scape - the whistle of the wind and of wings beating; the language of the Wiradjuri people, the air moving, bird song, breath...
It was exquisite.
ADDENDUM: Here is a link to a video (17 minutes) of Jonathon Jones speaking about this work.
The rest of the gallery had many moments of magic, but nothing moved me quite as much as this work. Here are some others.
Detail of work by Pannaphan Yodmanee.
Astonishing weaving and a bank of shells used for currency. Gunantuna (Tolai People) led by Gideon Kakabin.
A bomb which held hundreds of bombs and has been recovered in Laos, now being used for functional beauty - a garden bed from land mines. Lie of the Land by Bounpaul Photyzan.
Detail from Shinro Ohtake's Time Memory/Nairobi constructed from packing materials that arrived in his mail.
The beauty of dyed pandanus weavings of dilly bags. Mindirr by Margaret Rarru Garrawurra and Helen Ganalmirriwuy Garrawurra.
And a shadow from one of Louisa Humphry's headdress works.
On Tuesday I will share another favourite work and the colourful pieces that I enjoyed - this one was all about the muted, soft and soulful colourings.
There was only one piece I knew I really wanted to see. Jonathon Jones' untitled (giran) 2018.
We arrived as soon as the gallery opened and I asked a security person where we would find it and headed straight there. I knew that if I saw nothing else I needed to see this. And we did. And it was everything.
"Understanding wind is an important part of understanding country. Winds bring change, knowledge and new ideas to those prepared to listen". Jones writes.
In collaboration with Dr Uncle Stan Grant Snr AM, the work suggests a map of wind currents, of birds circling above, almost like the murmurations of starlings seen in the UK. A coordinated dance in the skies.
The key elements are traditional tools, and bound to each tool with hand made string is a small bundle of feathers. Many people answered Jones' call for feather to incorporate in the work, and they were delivered to him from all over the country.
Emu egg spoons, mussel shell scrapers, weaving start, bone awls, wooden spear points and stone knives make up the work, incorporating almost two thousand individually, hand crafted pieces.
And here it is in a panoramic shot which give you a sense of it, yet still not full ness of it.
It was accompanied by a sound scape - the whistle of the wind and of wings beating; the language of the Wiradjuri people, the air moving, bird song, breath...
It was exquisite.
ADDENDUM: Here is a link to a video (17 minutes) of Jonathon Jones speaking about this work.
The rest of the gallery had many moments of magic, but nothing moved me quite as much as this work. Here are some others.
Detail of work by Pannaphan Yodmanee.
Astonishing weaving and a bank of shells used for currency. Gunantuna (Tolai People) led by Gideon Kakabin.
A bomb which held hundreds of bombs and has been recovered in Laos, now being used for functional beauty - a garden bed from land mines. Lie of the Land by Bounpaul Photyzan.
Detail from Shinro Ohtake's Time Memory/Nairobi constructed from packing materials that arrived in his mail.
The beauty of dyed pandanus weavings of dilly bags. Mindirr by Margaret Rarru Garrawurra and Helen Ganalmirriwuy Garrawurra.
And a shadow from one of Louisa Humphry's headdress works.
On Tuesday I will share another favourite work and the colourful pieces that I enjoyed - this one was all about the muted, soft and soulful colourings.
"and it was everything" ...
ReplyDeleteyes it was...
DeleteSeriously amazing and ispiring works. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you enjoyed - it was remarkable show with so much of interest! Go well.
DeleteAmazing! Thanks for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteThat was a truly special piece Louise - the detailed crafting of it, the story, the sound...I have added a video link to Jonathon speaking of it which I thinks well worth it if you have a cuppa and 17 minutes...go well.
Deletein a league of her own... stunning
ReplyDeleteStunning indeed! So glad you enjoyed.
DeleteOh, thank you so much, Fiona! I wish I could have seen it in the gallery. But your post(s) will feed me.
ReplyDeleteOh Dinah, it was a beauty. As were many of the pieces gathered there - I have added a link to Jonathon's video in this post and la ink to all the artists and their work on Tuesday's post so you can investigate further from afar! Go well.
DeleteI watched the video - so inspiring - thank you for making my day!
ReplyDeleteoh that is wonderful to know Rosie! I think it is such an inspirational piece in so many ways. Thank you for being interested in the work from our side of the world...go well.
Delete