Under the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP), Australia's 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10) will be presenting "Between Earth and Sky: Indigenous Contemporary Art from Taiwan" at the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) from Dec. 4 until April 25, 2022.
It will be the first large-scale special exhibition themed around Taiwanese indigenous contemporary art since the APT's establishment 30 years ago.
As the flagship exhibition of QAGOMA, APT is Australia's only international exhibition that focuses on contemporary art in the Asia-Pacific region. The vigorous development of Taiwan's indigenous contemporary art has prompted APT's curatorial team to visit Taiwan several times over the past few years.
Since the establishment of the Cultural Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Sydney in 2020, it has been cooperating with QAGOMA to foster cultural exchange between Taiwan and Australia. Due to the impact of COVID-19, the curatorial teams of Taiwan and Australia were unable to inspect the sites of their counterparts, which increased the overall difficulty of their work.
QAGOMA director Chris Saines said, "Since 1993, Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art has explored the dynamic culture of our region and its many diasporas. In APT10, we are excited to present a co-curated project in collaboration with the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Center. It's been an honor to work with you and to now offer hundreds of thousands of visitors to our museum the opportunity to see these works. It is, for us, a hugely significant part of this APT, made by a cross-generational group of leading Taiwanese indigenous artists. On behalf of QAGOMA, I want to warmly thank the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Center, the Ministry of Culture, and the Cultural Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office here in Sydney. I also want to thank curators Etan Pavavalung (伊誕．巴瓦瓦隆) and Manray Hsu (徐文瑞), our own Reuben Keehan and every one of the artists who have contributed."
Regarding the curatorial concept of this exhibition, Manray Hsu explained that there is a connection and an everlasting force between heaven and earth. The myths and legends of the indigenous peoples convey the relationship between human beings and all other things in the universe, as well as the ecological wisdom of coexistence with other species. As a principle, in the indigenous ceremonies, social systems, ever-evolving artistic expressions, the indigenous peoples constantly seek to maintain a harmonious existence with all things. Regarding the significance of contemporary art in Taiwan, Hsu pointed out that Taiwanese artists have never been absent from the APT in the past 20 years. However, the project this time is of great significance since it is the first special exhibition on contemporary indigenous art from Taiwan to participate in the APT.
Etan Pavavalung also pointed out that the eight artists of different generations, ethnic groups, and media backgrounds who participated in this exhibition incorporate their distinctive languages and mythologies in an attempt to reinterpret contemporary cosmology and ecology.
Three female artists Aluaiy Kaumakan (阿儒瓦苡．篙瑪竿), Yuma Taru(尤瑪．達陸), and Ruby Swana (魯碧．司瓦那) explore their own land, culture, language, mythology and contemporary insights on their roots through the textile winding process of fiber art.
Young artists Dondon Hounwn (東冬．侯溫) and Fangas Nayaw (陳彥斌) used video documentary to delve into the scars caused by colonization and modernization, and reflect on their own tribal traditions.
Artist Masiswagger Zingrur (瑪斯斯格．金碌兒) uses ceramic art to convey the ancient patterns and symbols of the indigenous peoples, which also serve as the language in which to create links and foster sacredness through rituals.
The works of two graphic visual artists Etan Pavavalung and Anli Genu (安力．給怒) draw on contemporary issues of ethnicity, mythology and ecological reflection.
Curator Reuben Keehan pointed out that he is very happy to be able to organize the "Between Earth and Sky: Indigenous Contemporary Art from Taiwan" exhibition. He noted that the special exhibition is based on the history, cosmology, and mythology of the indigenous peoples in Taiwan, so as to rethink the future relationship between people and the land as well as different species living on this land. Keehan expressed enthusiasm for presenting the diversity and ingenuity of Taiwan's aboriginal contemporary art to the Queensland audience, in highlighting its place in the Asia-Pacific region and fostering artistic dialogue.
APT10 will be showcasing 69 exhibition projects by 150 creators from more than 30 countries. For more information on the project, please visit QAGOMA's official site here.