Overview
Every time that the Gallery of Modern Art stages a new exhibition, it's always worth seeing — whether David Lynch, Yayoi Kusama, Patricia Piccinini, Marvel or Chiharu Shiota are filling its walls. To go even further, whatever is graces the South Bank venue's spaces is usually stunning. Air, the venue's huge summer 2022–23 exhibition, is no different.
Until Sunday, April 23, this thoughtful showcase ruminates on the life-sustaining substance, pondering air's cultural, ecological and political dimensions — complete with floating mirrored spheres, glowing red globes, butterflies aplenty, leafy plants, industrial pipes and a smoky, darkened room you'll never want to leave.
Brisbane art lovers know that GOMA's exhibitions aren't simply dazzling to look at, however. For just a couple of nights each, they usually backdrop fabulous after-dark parties surrounded by all of those creative works. And, in 2023, Air is getting the Up Late treatment from 6pm on Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18.
Mona Hatoum / Lebanon/United Kingdom b.1952 / Hot Spot (installation view) 2006 / Stainless steel and neon tube / The David and Indrė Roberts Collection / Courtesy: The Roberts Institute of Art, London / © Mona Hatoum / Photograph: Claudia Baxter © QAGOMA.
Get ready to spend two autumn evenings seeing breathtaking installations, drinking, tapping your toes to DJs and listening to live music. A $42-per-night ticket gets you access to the exhibition, as well as the fun.
While the events themselves were revealed back when Air opened, GOMA has just dropped the lineup — with Alice Skye and Clea doing the honours on the Friday evening, alongside DJ nejmere; and Camp Cope, Melaleuca and Special Features taking to the stage on the Saturday night, plus DJ Sonia Cougar.
Installation view of 'Air', Gallery of Modern Art, 2022. Photograph: Chloë Callistemon © QAGOMA.
Ron Mueck / England b.1958 / In bed 2005 / Mixed media / Purchased 2008. Queensland Art Gallery Foundation / Collection: QAGOMA / © Ron Mueck.
Jemima Wyman / Pairrebeener people, Australia b.1977 / Plume 20 2022 / Handcut digital photos / Courtesy: Jemima Wyman, Milani Gallery, Brisbane, and Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney / © Jemima Wyman.
Yhonnie Scarce / Kokatha and Nukunu peoples, Australia b.1973 / Cloud Chamber 2020 / Glass / Collection: TarraWarra Museum of Art, Healesville, Victoria / © Yhonnie Scarce.
The live tunes will echo across the Maiwar Green, under a marquee, so you'll be hopping in and out of GOMA itself. Plus, there'll be multiple spots to grab a bite and drink around the place at the GOMA Bistro, Newstead Brewing Co Coastal Bar, River Room Bar and Bacchus Wine Room, so a tipple won't be hard to find.
Expect live immersive art experiences and workshops, too — including a drop-in session inspired by Jemima Wyman's contribution to Air, which will get you suspending particles yourself by creating a cloud-like collage — and the kind of gallery visit you can't have via daylight.
Tomás Saraceno / Argentina b.1973 / Drift: A cosmic web of thermodynamic rhythms (installation view) 2022 / 15 Aerocene spheres, transparent and metallic mylar, tape, pump with overpressure release, polyester rope, kinetic system, backpack, newspaper, pamphlets, books and photographic prints on paper / Purchased 2022 with funds from the Neilson Foundation through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: QAGOMA / © Tomás Saraceno / Photograph: Dario Lagana, Studio Tomás Saraceno.
AIR UP LATE LINE-UP:
Friday, March 17 — Alice Skye, Clea and DJ nejmere
Saturday, March 18 — Camp Cope, Melaleuca, Special Features and DJ Sonia Cougar
Both nights: Suspended Particles art-making workshop by Air artist Jemima Wyman
Air Up Late takes place on Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18 at the Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Place, South Brisbane. For more information and tickets, head to the GOMA website.
Top image: Anthony McCall / United Kingdom / United States b.1946 / Crossing (installation view) 2016 / Two double video projections (20 minutes), haze machine and sound, ed. 1/3 / Commissioned to mark the tenth anniversary of the opening of the Gallery of Modern Art. Purchased 2016 with funds from Tim Fairfax AC through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: QAGOMA / © Anthony McCall / Photograph: Chloë Callistemon © QAGOMA.