‘AH XIAN: METAPHYSICA’ EXHIBITION TOURS TO GLADSTONE REGIONAL ART GALLERY & MUSEUM

‘AH XIAN: METAPHYSICA’ EXHIBITION TOURS TO GLADSTONE REGIONAL ART GALLERY & MUSEUM

An exhibition of life-size figurative busts by leading Chinese-Australian artist Ah Xian, from the Collection of the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), will be on display at Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum until Saturday 8 June 2013. 

‘Ah Xian: Metaphysica’ presents ten magnificent bronze and brass works from the Metaphysica series, begun by the artist in 2007.

Maud Page, QAGOMA Acting Deputy Director, Curatorial and Collection Development, said this exhibition offered regional audiences a wonderful opportunity to see Ah Xian’s technically proficient and beautiful sculptures.

‘Ah Xian is one of Australia’s leading contemporary artists and his works, including the Metaphysica series, are of central importance to the QAGOMA Collection,’ she said.  ‘The Gallery acquired six of the busts on this tour with generous support from Tim Fairfax AM, and the other four were gifted by the artist.'

‘The creation of the busts in the exhibition is a lengthy process. Cast from life, the unique expression and finish of each form as well as the distinctive symbolic objects which rest on their heads distinguish one from the other.  For Ah Xian these found objects, which include religious deities, folk art, a fish, a rabbit and a baby boy, reflect what people believe, love, appreciate and enjoy. Some have a Buddhist influence and some are drawn from historical or traditional tales, while others are from the imagination.'

‘Each bust reflects Ah Xian’s belief that the crown of the skull is a site that links our emotions and souls with the imaginative possibilities of the spirit,’ Ms Page said.

In the past five years 390,000 visitors have seen QAGOMA’s touring exhibitions and programs which have been staged at over 100 regional Queensland venues.  ‘QAGOMA continues to be the only state gallery in Australia to include a regional touring program as a part of its core business, and we’re pleased to continue this commitment with ‘Ah Xian: Metaphysica’,’ Ms Page said.  ‘Ah Xian: Metaphysica’ will visit fourteen venues across Queensland, with Gladstone's Gallery/Museum being the first stop on the tour.'

The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum is open 10am - 5pm, Monday to Saturday, with free admission. It is located on the corner of Goondoon & Bramston Streets, Gladstone.  The Gallery/Museum is a community cultural initiative of the Gladstone Regional Council.

- Ends.