Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, 1993 : Exhibition report

OVERVIEW The First Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’, 17 September to 5 December 1993, organised by the Queensland Art Gallery, was the first of its kind in the world to focus on the contemporary art of Asia and the Pacific. The exhibition presented the work of seventy-six artists from twelve countries and Hong Kong and has proved to be a ground­ breaking event in linking the contemporary art of Australasia, Asia and the Pacific. In addition to the project’s international significance, Australia has been recognised as having an important role in the exhibition and promotion of the region’s contemporary art and, for the first time, Australian artists’ works have been viewed within an Asia Pacific regional context. The Queensland Art Gallery extends its gratitude to the Australia Council for providing significant funds for this project. This substantial support contributed to the promotion of the project and the associated publications - the book, catalogue and bulletins. The Gallery would also like to express its appreciation to the Australia Council for the developmental grant which provided the project’s seeding funds. The Gallery undertook the Asia-Pacific Triennial to reveal the dynamic and diverse contemporary art of the region. It aimed to increase cultural understanding, provide a forum for discussion of the art of the region and establish the groundwork for further cultural exchanges, as well as building a continuing dialogue and professional relationships based on mutual respect. Critical reviews confirm that these objectives were met: Dr Apinan Poshyananda from Thailand wrote in the Bangkok Post [4 Nov. 1993]: This challenging exhibition has ‘bulldozed’ contemporary art from the Asia-Pacific region to the world arena’. Mr Redza Piyadasa from Malaysia stated: 'Those of us who were in Brisbane last week came away feeling that we had been privileged to have been part of a historical cultural event for both Australia and Asia’ [Business Times, Malaysia, 25 Sept. 1993]. Mr Toshio Hara, Director of the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, remarked at the international conference that the Triennial should become a force in the international art world. He stated, The other Asian sort of exhibition has been done in a few other places, but I feel this one has a particular importance, because this one puts art first before other things’. Alan Goodall in the Japan Times wrote ‘A world coup... the once languid capital of tropical Queensland has suddenly become Australia’s hot house of contemporary Asian art appreciation’ [77?e Japan Times, 20 October 1993]. Ian Findlay-Brown in an editorial in Asian Art News (Hong Kong November/December 1993) commented: ‘One of the most important contemporary art events of the year, the Triennial promises to develop into an exceptional exhibition'. Reviews from Australia stated: The Triennial is the most important exhibition of recent art to be shown in Australia for a long time’ [Joanna Mendelssohn, The Bulletin, 12 October 1993]; and This exhibition has already opened dialogue in the region, providing a focus for the development of a critical framework to deal with the extraordinary diversity, layers, shades and tones of all voices resonating from within and ricocheting across this rapidly developing geographical construct’ [Linda Wallace, Art and Text 47, January 1994] and Humphrey McQueen in The Weekend Australian wrote, ‘Australians whose business it will be to get along with Asians face-to-face will benefit more from reflecting on the complexities revealed by this art Triennial than they will from memorising tourist phrases in Japanese or Bahasa Indonesian’. The official opening of the exhibition was attended by 2 600 guests. The Premier of Queensland, The Hon. Wayne Goss, MLA, officially opened the exhibition. In his speech, the Premier stated, ‘as Australia moves into a new era of intraregional friendship and