2 DECEMBER 2016

QUEENSLAND’S GALLERY OF MODERN ART TURNS 10 THIS WEEKEND

Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) turns ten this weekend and everyone is invited to join in the celebrations.

Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) Director Chris Saines CNZM said the special milestone included the unveiling of a major new public artwork by Queensland Indigenous artist Judy Watson, the opening of the exhibition 'Sugar Spin: you, me, art and everything', live performances of American artist Nick Cave’s vibrant HEARD 2012, hands-on workshops, tours with GOMA’s architects and more.

Mr Saines said tow row, Judy Watson’s major bronze sculpture launched by the Premier of Queensland and Minister for the Arts earlier today, was commissioned by the Gallery for the tenth anniversary of GOMA.

‘Permanently positioned at the main entrance to the building, tow row is a significant addition to the Gallery’s Collection and to Brisbane’s Cultural Precinct. It is also a potent reminder of the ongoing role Queensland’s Indigenous artists play in telling their own stories and in the greater cultural life of this state and country,’ Mr Saines said.

‘Based on the woven fishing nets used by Indigenous people on the banks of the Brisbane River, the work directly references the land on which it sits, and acknowledges the traditional owners of the site and the wider region.

‘It has been realised with the generous support from the Queensland Government, the Neilson Foundation and Cathryn Mittelheuser, AM, through the QAGOMA Foundation.’

Mr Saines said visitors to the Gallery during the GOMA Turns 10 celebrations could experience Nervescape V 2016, the large-scale, multi-coloured landscape of synthetic hair by Icelandic-born, New York-based artist Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir.

Other must-see artworks in GOMA’s major summer exhibition ‘Sugar Spin: you, me, art and everything’ include Carsten Höller’s Left/Right Slide 2010, Ron Mueck’s oversized woman In bed 2005, Olafur Eliasson’s interactive installation of thousands of white Lego pieces The cubic structural evolution project 2004, Kohei Nawa’s bubble encrusted Pix-Cell Double Deer#4 2010, and Céleste Boursier-Mougenot’s musical installation of live finches, from here to ear (v.13) 2010.

‘Not to be missed are the electrifying live performances of Nick Cave’s HEARD●Brisbane 2016, 30 horse costumes brought to life by 60 dancers at GOMA at 12 noon on Saturday 3, and at 12 noon and 4pm on Sunday 4 December,’ Mr Saines said.

‘Another highlight of the celebrations is Anthony McCall’s Crossing 2016, a major light installation commissioned by QAGOMA from the leading British artist with the support of Tim Fairfax, AC.

‘Visitors will step into McCall’s installation of intersecting shafts of solid-light and be immersed in the light, haze and sound of breaking waves — it’s an incredibly sensory and consuming artwork,’ Mr Saines said.

Principal sponsor Audi Australia congratulated the Gallery of Modern Art on the impact it has had over 10 years.

‘We pride ourselves on working with Australia’s best, and over the past five years have supported GOMA as it established a global reputation for pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation,’ Audi Australia Managing Director Andrew Doyle said.

‘Over the next five months of this exhibition, we’ll be celebrating mutual values of performance and progressiveness, as we play our role in supporting this important contribution to the community of Queensland.’

At 1:30pm on Saturday 3 December audiences can join artist Judy Watson as she discusses her newly commissioned public artwork tow row. From 2:30pm that afternoon, Lindsay and Kerry Clare, GOMA architects, and Michael Keniger will lead a walking tour of the building reflecting on its design, and how it has functioned over a decade.

Launching during opening weekend celebrations, GOMA’s Australian Cinémathèque presents summer film program ‘This Land is Mine | This Land is Me’. Highlights include a special screening at 4:30pm on Saturday 3 December of Danish documentary Good Things Await 2014, followed by a specially themed two-course dinner in GOMA Restaurant.

From 12:30 to 4:00pm on Sunday 4 December there will be a drop-in build-off, where visitors can help members of Brisbane-based Lego enthusiasts club BrisBricks create extraordinary structures with Olafur Eliasson’s interactive artwork.

From 1:00 to 4:00pm on Sunday 4 December artists Judy Watson and Leecee Carmichael will give a free weaving workshop inspired by local Indigenous traditions, on the Maiwar Green outside GOMA.

This weekend and all through summer GOMA’s Children’s Art Centre will present ‘Mirror Mirror’, a free, interactive project developed in collaboration with Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir, where visitors create their own unique paper hairstyle and style a wall of artificial hair-like material.

The GOMA Turns 10 program offers visitors of all ages a free, multi-faceted, sensory and participatory art experience.

Join the conversation online and connect with #goma10 @qagoma. For more information and other events featured in the program visit: www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/goma-turns‑10