APT 2002 Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Brisbane, Australia : Report

EXHIBITION DESIGN + INSTALLATION Yayoi Kusama, Narcissus garden Montien Boonma, Arokhayasala: Ralph Hotere, Pathway to the sea - Aramoana APT 2002 installation view Temple of the mind APT 2002 installation view APT 2002 installation view OVERVIEW When successfully realised, exhibition design can set moods, steer viewers from object to object, and highlight particular art works and ideas. Further, it can create meaningful contexts which assist in communicating key curatorial ideas in an engaging and informative way. The design of APT 2002 drew upon on the experiences of presenting past Triennials and responded to the introduction of radical new project parameters for the fourth APT. The third APT, held in 1999, included some 144 art works from 77 artists. APT 2002, however, included the work of just 17 artists or collectives. Each artist was represented by multiple works from throughout their careers, which in some cases span more than forty years of practice. This new format allowed for a far more elegant and spacious display for APT 2002 than was possible in the teeming, diverse surveys of the previous Triennials, which, although highly exciting in their diversity, did require some compromise in terms of installation display and the juxtaposition of objects. The Gallery’s fundamental consideration in developing exhibition designs is that of viewer experience. Analysis of visitor surveys and feedback from previous Triennials identified a number of key issues that were addressed in APT 2002: COLOUR Storytelling, Kids’ APT Summer Spectacular Kids’ APT entrance APT 2002 featured contemporary, custom-built furniture and detailing that utilised vibrant colour. Visitor comments from previous Triennials frequently mentioned use of colour as a positive aspect of their viewing experience and one that created an upbeat display environment. 17