Tony Albert: Visible

Overview

From June 2 until October 7, the Queensland Art Gallery is showcasing the work of Indigenous artist Tony Albert — one of both the state's and the country's exciting contemporary talents. It marks the Townsville-born, Brisbane-raised talent's first major solo exhibition in an Australian state gallery.

In an exhibition entitled Visible, Albert confronts the standard representation of Australia's Aboriginal people, as well as the frequent misrepresentation, through object-based displays, painting, photography, video and installation works. Visitors can expect everything from a burnt-out car shell that also features video — referencing a real-life incident in Sydney's Kings Cross in 2012, and created with Bangarra Dance Theatre's artistic director Stephen Page and his late brother David — to more than 300 items from Albert's collection of reclaimed kitsch 'Aboriginalia'. Among the latter, a playable pinball machine is one just one of the objects on offer.

For patrons with little art lovers in tow, the exhibition also extends to the Childrens Art Centre across the forecourt over at the Gallery of Modern Art. In Tony Albert: We Can Be Heroes, kids can view artworks created with children and artists from Warakurna in Western Australia, create their own digital superhero identity inspired by the pieces on display and make a monster using Albert's designs.

Plus, across Visible's opening weekend of June 2-3, QAG will be hosting talks and tours — including with Albert himself. On Sunday, you can even make playing cards during a free workshop with the artist. The workshops will be repeated on August 5, September 9 and October 7.

Image: Tony Albert, David C Collins and Lucy Lewis; Warakurna – The Force is with us #1. 2017. Archival pigment print, ed. of 3 + 2 AP. 100 x 150cm. Collection: The artist. Courtesy: Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney.