MEDIA RELEASE: 13 August 2012
Heman Chong to represent Singapore at 7th Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art
• One Singaporean student to win trip to visit APT7
A 20-year retrospective, featuring works by Singaporean artist Heman Chong, will be one of the highlights of the 7th Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT7), to be held in Brisbane, Australia, from 8 December 2012 to 14 April 2013.
Chong joins more than 77 artists and artist groups from 27 countries to showcase their works at APT7, which marks the 20th anniversary of the international exhibition.
Other leading artists to be showcased at APT7 include internationally-renowned senior artists Huang Yong Ping (China-France), Atul Dodiya (India), Raqib Shaw (India-UK) and Fiona Tan (Indonesia - The Netherlands), as well as many young and emerging artists from the region.
Since its inception in 1993, APT has become one of the most widely regarded international visual arts exhibitions. It is the flagship international event of Queensland Art Gallery and Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), and the only major exhibition series to focus exclusively on contemporary art of the Asia-Pacific region.
Other highlights of APT7 are the first major focus on artists from West Asia; works by young generations of Indonesian and Vietnamese artists; new work from a group of seven Australian artists; and the most significant representation yet of contemporary work from PNG.
“Over the past 20 years, APT7 has attracted more than 1.8 million visitors and continues to be the only recurring art exhibition focussing on contemporary art from Asia, the Pacific and Australia” says QAGOMA Acting Director Ms Suhanya Raffel.
“APT7 is made possible by founding sponsor the Queensland Government, presenting sponsor Santos, and principal partners Events Queensland, the Australia Council for the Arts and the Australian Government's Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy. The PNG component is sponsored by Kramer Ausenco, and a range of cultural organisations have also made invaluable contributions.”
“APT7 will feature a free opening weekend program involving many of the exhibiting artists and several performance events; the GOMA Talks series of discussion panels; two film programs; the 20 Year Archive project (featuring Heman Chong); as well as printed and online publications and education resources.
“Kids APT will premiere interactive artworks and installations by participating artists and the On Tour program will be presented throughout regional Queensland,” says Ms Raffel.
'The 20th anniversary of APT is an opportunity to reflect upon the unprecedented transformations that have occurred in Australia, Asia and the Pacific over the past two decades,” says QAGOMA Curatorial Manager of Asian and Pacific Art Russell Storer.
'With this in mind, APT7's 20 Year Archive project invites four artists and artist collectives to explore a range of regional archives, including QAGOMA's Australian Centre of Asia Pacific Art, and present creative interpretations of their content."
For more information on APT7 and the artists involved visit: qagoma.qld.gov.au/apt7.
ONE SINGAPOREAN STUDENT TO WIN A TRIP TO APT7
Singaporean students, aged 18 years and above, have the opportunity to attend APT7 in Brisbane thanks to a competition organised by Tourism Queensland and the Australian High Commission, supported by the National Arts Council, Singapore.
Reflecting a central theme of APT7, students are invited to write about their personal connection to an urban place, be it current, past or even imaginary.
Entries can be in any written format, from conventional essay or journalistic article to poetry or prose. The winning entry will be published in Singapore. Entries must be 300 words or less.
The winner will receive an invitation to attend the opening reception for APT7 on 7 December 2012, as a special guest of Tourism Queensland, one return economy class airfare from Singapore to Brisbane and three nights’ accommodation. He/she will also enjoy some of Brisbane's most iconic attractions and activities as part of this special visit program.
Entries must be submitted online at www.queensland.com, and must be received by 2pm (Singapore time) Sunday 30 September 2012.
Media enquiries: Lim Mui Khim, Tourism Queensland, E: [email protected]