Sculpture Is Everything: Contemporary Works from the Collection at GOMA, Queensland

Showcasing the Gallery’s Collection and featuring a group of major new acquisitions, Sculpture Is Everything explores the extraordinarily diverse and surprising field of contemporary sculpture. Sculpture is everything — from found objects to kinetic structures, from monuments to installation and land art, from pop assemblages to ritual objects. Form, material and three-dimensional space have been considered to define the medium of sculpture; the exhibition points to how these sculptural concerns are played out in film, photography, painting and performance.

With a focus on new and recent work, this exhibition explores how unexpected forms such as film, photography, painting and performance can be considered sculpture. With work by more than 80 artists from Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America and Australia, including a range of work by Indigenous Australian artists, Sculpture Is Everything demonstrates the depth and scope of the collection.

Featuring work by artists including Ai Weiwei, Martin Creed, Olaf Breuning, Thomas Demand, Lara Favaretto, Simryn Gill, Romuald Hazoumé, Gordon Hookey, Zilvinas Kempinas, Anish Kapoor, Gordon Matta-Clark, John Mawurndjul, Henrique Oliveira, Dennis Oppenheim, Michael Sailstorfer, Kathy Temin, Ken Thaiday Sr, Rachel Whiteread and Erwin Wurm, the exhibition also includes Mike Parr’s Stepped Wedge (1998), a 16-metre long beeswax and graphite obstacle gifted by the artist and on display for the first time.

Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija’s work of social sculpture Untitled (lunch box) from 1998 is on show every Friday throughout the exhibition. The work invites visitors to sit down at a small table in the Gallery for a lunch of Thai takeaway food from a local restaurant – sounds good!

Sculpture Is Everything: Contemporary Works from the Collection, 18th August – 28th October, The Fairfax Gallery, GOMA, Stanley Place, South Bank, Queensland 4101, Australia. www.qagoma.qld.gov.au

Credit:

Zilvinas Kempinas / Lithuania/ United States b.1969 / Columns 2006 / Magnetic tape, painted wood panels, nails / Installed size variable / Purchased 2011 with funds from Tim Fairfax, AM, through the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery / Photograph: Mark Sherwood