No 1 Neighbour: Art In New Guinea 1966-2016

Our No.1 neighbour is having an extensive exhibition at Queensland Art Gallery from 15 October to 29 January, with No.1 Neighbour: Art in Papua New Guinea 1966 – 2016.

It’s the first time QAGOMA has shown an exhibition of this scale entirely focused on our closest northern neighbour, with QAGOMA Director Chris Saines saying that it would delight audiences with “bold colour, towering sculptural forms, humour and hauntingly beautiful sounds.”

The exhibition has a vast array of works, including some gained via the Gallery’s brilliant Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art series. The result is sure to be an exciting must-see collection of sculpture, textiles, painting, bilas (ornamentation), masks used in sing-sing (tribal gatherings to share cultural traditions), photography, ceramics, printmaking, music and dance.

There’ll also be a musical work titled a Bit na Ta (the source of the sea), commissioned from Australian musician, composer and producer, David Bridie, and his regular collaborator, Tolai musician George Telek, with involvement of the wider Tolai community based in East New Britain, translating the rhythms of Tolai life from 1875 to 1975.

A new multimedia installation by Australian-born Chimbu artist Eric Bridgeman, focus selections of work by pioneering women artists, Wendi Choulai and Mary Gole, and the stunning Koromb (spirit house) 2012 ceiling by Kwoma artists from the East Sepik region are also highlights.

Nice to Know - On Saturday, 15 October, 10am – 4pm, the Gallery will present programs in conjunction with the exhibition, including the a Bit na Ta performance featuring George Telek; the performance event, Twist and Loop; and the innovative work of Florence Jaukae Kamel. There’ll also be artists’ talks and a traditional sago cooking demonstration.

*QAG is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day

By Vicki Englund