Once in a while, you’ll come across an artist that encourages you to step away from the norm, and subsequently shatter the boundaries of your perception.
From Taiwan to Senegal, Thailand and Indonesia, the following artists may offer eclectic insights, but they do all have one thing in common: they celebrate cultural inclusivity, and dismantle the common narratives surrounding contemporary art.
These artists will introduce you to new perspectives and defiantly draw you into conversation. So stop what you’re doing right now – yes, right now – and check out these incredibly talented humans. They’re more than worthy of your attention.
Latai Taumoepeau is an esteemed Punake, an artist who employs storytelling practices by combining poetic song with choreographed performance. The body-centered performer vividly communicates the stories of her homelands – the Island Kingdom of Tonga and the Eora Nation, Sydney – whilst powerfully conveying issues surrounding race and the female body.
Hailing from Taiwan, Joyce Ho’s work is permeated with colour-saturated installations and performances that place the everyday into the absurd. “Whether through the influence of social structures or feedback from life experience,” Ho notes, “whenever I suddenly become aware of something in my life an object, an action, or something on the verge of disappearing and I fix my gaze on it.”
Zico Albaiquni’s works are instantly striking, with his use of vivid colour palettes and a vibrant aesthetic. Albaiquni often pays homage to an Indonesian tradition called Mooi Indie (‘beautiful Indies’). Mooi Indie, according to Queensland‘s Gallery of Modern Art, is a genre of painting that encompasses a romanticisation of the Indonesian landscape and culture under Dutch colonial rule.
IMAN RAAD
Iman Reed is an Iranian artist who draws upon Persian literature, bold colour palettes and repetition, simulating glitches in his work which is created across a variety of mediums (from painting to embroidery). This installation has a massive mural-like vibe filled with layers of commentary on contemporary issues, coming through in an artistic narrative.
Wishing you could see these artists all in one place? Well, it turns out you can thanks to The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT9) held at Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art.
APT9 – which is free entry and open to all ages – showcases over 80 artists from more than 30 countries, with the aim of questioning the conventional structures of modern art. It’s a showcase of cross-cultural insight, a championing of individuality and a celebration of artists from Asia, the Pacific and Australia.
APT9 is running now until April 28. Check out the trailer below for a cheeky peek, and head on over to APT9 for further info. Happy viewing, team.
