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Third Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

THEME: BEYOND THE FUTURE

\The theme for the Third Asia-Pacific Triennial is "Beyond the Future". It is regarded as a pivot around which ideas can revolve. The theme was developed after extensive discussion with curators involved in the selections and those curators have interpreted and approached the theme in the context of the specific circumstances of the art with which they have engaged in the region.

The theme also reflects our hope that the Asia-Pacific Triennial may provide a context to allow us to address issues in art beyond immediate economic meltdown and political tension. The Asia-Pacific Triennial has always been more than an art exhibition: it has among its aims inter-cultural understanding and in particular increasing knowledge within our own multicultural society of the cultures of the Asia-Pacific region through contemporary art.

"Beyond the Future" is a logical development from the focus of the First Asia-Pacific Triennial on "Tradition and Change" and of the Second on "Present Encounters". The theme of the Third Asia-Pacific Triennial is paradoxical: in many ways a return in full circle to the issues raised in the First Asia-Pacific Triennial of the place of tradition and the past in contemporary art and society. For indigenous peoples in particular, it is important to note that their past is their future: as Jonathon Mane-Wheoki has cogently observed for Maori, "The future is behind us, the past is in front of us". The Third Asia-Pacific Triennial includes a strong emphasis on artists whose work crosses many boundaries between craft, tradition and contemporary art. The theme also takes account of the concern of many artists in the region today about positively contributing through their creativity to their communities' surviving the present and constructing new futures.

This will not be an exhibition about artists envisaging their future in any simplistic globalised or positivist and linear Western sense: multiple futures have been elements of our approach to the theme.

The Third Asia-Pacific Triennial does include an emphasis on new media and new components, such as "Crossing borders" which consists of artists whose work reflects the globally mobile nature of today's world, as well as art crossing boundaries through collaborative works, interdisciplinary approaches such as between art and music, popular culture, screen culture and new technology. The Virtual Triennial will be an innovation of the Third Asia-Pacific Triennial, as will a special exhibition for children - the Kids' Asia-Pacific Triennial.

For issues related to the theme of the Third Asia-Pacific Triennial contact Doug Hall or Caroline Turner at the Queensland Art Gallery.

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