Air Up Late

Overview

Whatever is gracing the Gallery of Modern Art's walls at any given time, it's 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. 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.

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.

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.

On the lineup: 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.

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.

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

Top image: 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.

Updated February 3.