The Ninth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

have produced major new works for APT9. This revisiting of artists is telling, as is the inclusion of other senior figures whose work is increasingly recognised — and celebrated — for its local focus, while informing the language of contemporary art within the region and beyond. Importantly, the Triennial resolutely includes Australia within its geographic and cultural compass, not least because it means Australian artists present their work in the context of being from here, rather than from elsewhere. How we figure in the region is every bit as important as how we might configure our view of it from our institution on the banks of the Maiwar (Brisbane River). It seems the more that nominal boundaries are asserted in the region — say, of a nation state and its avowed cultural or religious specificity — the more that readily dispossessed minorities will rise up to assert countervailing world views. In this regard, the contemporary artist is often the proverbial canary in the coalmine, an early advocate who alerts others to signs of social, political or cultural disturbance. In APT9, artists from more than 30 countries disclose previously untold histories or excavate buried narratives, be they personal, historical or ideological. As has been a hallmark of the APT, rather than imposing a single thematic framework, the exhibition draws together common threads of concern. These threads and strands can vary greatly in weight, and are dependent on their context of production — be it the centre of a thriving, globally connected metropolis, or a small community on a remote archipelago. A cornerstone of APT9 — as it is for artists the world over — is an abiding interest in the interplay of human, natural, urban and spiritual worlds. Many artists in APT9 are exploring the production and commodification of value by unpacking culturally coded definitions of wealth, labour and industry. Language and poetics inform another strand of artworks, as does the exploration, and dismantling, of the conventions of formal art languages. Indigenous philosophies, reflecting the varied roots of our custodianship of the natural world, and the effects of settler environments, are another important underpinning for APT9. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian voices are prominent, many finding greater resonance within the region than they often do at home. The inclusion of distinguished elders, such as Lola Greeno; mid-career artists, such as Jonathan Jones; ALI KAZIM Pakistan b.1979 Untitled (cloud series) 2018 Dry pigments on mylar / 32 x 42cm / Courtesy: The artist and Jhaveri Contemporary, Mumbai / Proposed for the Queensland Art Gallery Collection