Beyond the Future: Papers from the Third Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

FOREWORD The Third Asia-Pacific Trienn ial of Contemporary Art (APT3) attracted a record audience of 155,000 to the Queensland Art Gal lery. The APT project was in itiated by the Gallery in 1 993, as the first exhibition of its kind to focus on the dynamic contemporary art of Asia and the Pacific. The project comprises an on-going program of exhibitions, research , publ ications, conferences and dialogue. APT3 included art works by more than 77 artists from 20 countries and regions. The art covered a range of media including performance, sculpture, painting , installation, textile, video, new technology and photography. Artists included were from Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, I ndonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, India, New Zealand , Papua New Gu inea, New Caledonia, Australia and for the first time, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, N iue and Wallis and Futuna Islands. 'Beyond the Future: The Conference of The Third Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art' was held in Brisbane from 1 O to 12 September, 1 999, bringing together more than 700 Australian and international special ists on contemporary Asian and Pacific art. Through twelve major sessions, workshops and parallel sessions, delegates and speakers addressed issues raised in the exhibition . The Queensland Art Gallery's collection of contemporary Asian art currently comprises over 300 works . Additionally, the Gallery is now focusing attention on the collection of contemporary art from the Pacific. The contemporary Asian art collection has recently been enhanced by a generous donation from the Sidney Myer Foundation and the Myer fam ily as part of the Sidney Myer Centenary Celebration 1 899-1 999, to further develop the Kenneth and Yasuko Myer Collection of Contemporary Asian Art. This latest donation will continue an endowment for purchases in contemporary Asian art and ensure that the Queensland Art Gallery continues to build one of the most significant collections of contemporary Asian art in the world. The Queensland Art Gallery is grateful to the Queensland Government for providing s ign ificant funds for the project. The Gal lery also thanks all the APT3 sponsors who made possible the stag ing of one of Australia's most successful visual arts events . Their support allowed the Gallery to continue its pioneering role in the research , documentation and exhibition of contemporary arts practice in Asia and the Pacific. In May, 2000 the Queensland Government announced the new Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art with the Queensland Art Gallery will form a single, two-site gallery wh ich will more than double the size of the existing Queensland Art Gallery bu ilding. Scheduled for completion in 2005, GOMA will focus on modern and contemporary Australian, Ind igenous Australian and international art with a special focus on the art of Asia and the Pacific. It will include the Australian Centre of Asia­ Pacific Art, and will provide a home for future Asia-Pacific Triennials of Contemporary Art. G iven the Gallery's strong commitment to contemporary Asian and Pacific art, the APT will continue into the new century, as will the Gal lery's engagement with contemporary Asian and Pacific art in the areas of curatorship, research , exhibition and acquisition. Doug Hall Director 8