APT9 Exhibition Report

PUBLICATIONS To accompany the exhibition, the Gallery produced a beautifully designed compact softcover book APT9: The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (RRP $44.95, 256pp, colour illustrations), an encapsulation in print of the art and ideas of the dynamic Asia Pacific region and of the works and artists presented in APT9. The book featured: ▲ 80 essays on individual artists, projects and groups, each accompanied by full-colour photography ▲ an introduction by QAGOMA Director Chris Saines that gave an overview of key themes in the exhibition ▲ an essay by Dr Zara Stanhope, Curatorial Manager, Asian & Pacific Art, exploring the exhibition’s curatorial framework and the challenges inherent in presenting a nuanced understanding of contemporary art in the region ▲ thematic essays by members of the APT9 curatorial team (Diane Moon, Tarun Nagesh, Reuben Keehan, Ruth McDougall, Abigail Bernal and Ellie Buttrose) ▲ dedicated sections for APT9 Cinema and APT9 Kids. The publication represented a successful combination of outstanding imagery, elegant design and new scholarship, with consistently high sales throughout the exhibition and nationwide distribution through Thames and Hudson Australia. The book was a Finalist in the 2019 Museums Australasia Multimedia & Publication Design Awards (MAPDA) in the Major Catalogue category. The Gallery also published a children’s picture book for APT9 through the Children’s Art Centre. Ali’s Boat (RRP $22.95, 48pp) was adapted from an artwork created by Iraqi artist Sadik Kwaish Alfraji, whose beautiful monochrome illustrations were inspired by a letter from his 11-year old nephew, Ali. Through Ali’s Boat , the artist tells a story about his past, his family and his relationship with his country. The book was Highly Commended in the Children’s Book category for MAPDA 2019. Two APT-themed issues of Artlines , the Gallery’s magazine for members and supporters, included features that further explored several artists in the exhibition. In issue 4–2018 (December, January, February), Zara Stanhope’s lead article offered an overview of APT9 artists whose work examines our relationship with the natural world. In issue 1–2019 (March, April, May), Brisbane-based Indigenous artist Ryan Presley looked at the practices of five First Nations artists represented in APT9. 62 PUBLICATIONS