11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

interlocutors when entering into deeper considerations of local creative contexts. The regionally co-led projects in this Triennial include TAMBA, a survey of work by Nepalese artists, activists and indigenous communities, co-curated with Sheelasha Rajbhandari and Hit Man Gurung; recent customary and contemporary works from Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines, co-curated by Abraham Ambo Garcia Jr with Al-Nezzar Ali and Emi Englis; an immersive sound and video installation by Dreamcast Theatre and the KAWAKI women’s collective from the Solomon Islands, co-developed with The Nature Conservancy; and a showcase of weavings by artists from five islands in Vanuatu’s Torba Province, curated by Dely Roy Nalo. In a sign of the series’ growing international standing, this Triennial will come to a close one year out from a planned tour of 100 works — largely acquisitions made through the series since its inception in 1993 — to the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London, in early 2026. This exciting new partnership with one of the world’s most esteemed museums will enable QAGOMA to tour the work of contemporary Australian, Asian and Pacific artists across the globe, and to the Northern Hemisphere for the first time. If confirmation was needed that the Asia Pacific Triennial had forged a global reputation for innovative and culturally responsive exhibition-making, this is it. The engine room of the Triennial’s evolution is the Gallery’s highly skilled and committed Asian and Pacific Art team. I want to generously acknowledge the tireless and rigorous work of Tarun Nagesh, Curatorial Manager, who led the core curatorial team of Reuben Keehan, Curator, Contemporary Asian Art; Ruth McDougall, Curator, Pacific Art; Abigail Bernal, Associate Curator, Asian Art; and Ruha Fifita, Curatorial Assistant, Pacific Art, working closely with their colleagues in the International Art, Australian Art, Australian Cinémathèque and Children’s Art Centre teams. QAGOMA’s Executive Management Team of Simon Elliott, Deputy Director, Collection and Exhibitions; Simon Wright, Assistant Director, Learning and Public Engagement; Tarragh Cunningham, Assistant Director, Development and Commercial Services; and Duane Lucas, Assistant Director, Operations and Governance, together with the Gallery’s Senior Leadership Team, have all played instrumental roles in delivering this exhibition. We are joined by a committed family of supporters across many sectors. The Queensland Government is the Founding Supporter of the Asia Pacific Triennial, for which we remain very grateful. Its generosity has further extended to being Founding Supporter of the planned international tour of works from the Asia Pacific Triennial collection to the V&A in 2026. We also welcome Principal Partner, the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory board, and the Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy; as well as Strategic Partner, Tourism and Events Queensland. (above) Helen Salvemal weaving nagares bush vines, Torba Province weaving workshop, Lembal village, Gaua Island, June 2023 / Photograph: Ruth McDougall (below) ArTree Nepal research travel, Pawera village, Kailali, Western Nepal, February 2021 / Photograph: Mekh Limbu 26 — 27 FOREWORD