A landmark exhibition celebrating the globally significant collection of contemporary Asian, Australian and Pacific art held by the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) has opened at one of the world’s great museums, the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), South Kensington, London.

‘Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific’ offers new audiences an unparalleled opportunity to experience artworks that reflect the richness of cultural traditions and contemporary practices from across the region.

Developed in consultation with the V&A, the exhibition reflects over 30 years of collecting through QAGOMA’s flagship exhibition series, the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art.

QAGOMA Director Chris Saines CNZM said: ‘The opening of ‘Rising Voices’ is a watershed moment for the Gallery, which has worked in a close partnership with the V&A to present some of our region’s most creative and significant voices in one of the most influential and visited museums in the world.

‘The exhibition celebrates key figures and movements that have shaped cultural contexts in the Asia Pacific. Visitors to the V&A will be struck by the astonishing diversity in artistic and material practice that has distinguished the Triennial for over three decades.

‘As a museum-based, acquisitive exhibition series, the Asia Pacific Triennial stands apart from the world’s many biennials and triennials as a highly collaborative endeavour involving a vast regional network of in-country advisers and co-curators, and an in-house curatorial model driven equally by contemporary art and customary, community-based practice.’

Director of the V&A, Sir Tristram Hunt said: ‘The works in ‘Rising Voices’ will resonate with visitors to the V&A while reflecting the depth, dynamism and cross-cultural engagement of the art produced across this vast region. Our team has been guided by the Triennial’s underpinning principles, and the resulting exhibition represents a rising multitude of interconnected voices, carried forward and amplified across time.’

‘Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and The Pacific’ brings together the work of more than 40 artists from 25 countries across the Asia Pacific region with over 70 works spanning sculpture, photography, painting, ceramics, weaving and body adornment – many of which have never been exhibited outside of the region.

The exhibition is arranged across an introduction and three thematic sections. Re-Visioning History demonstrates how artists respond to political conditions, from histories of migration to regional conflicts and social upheaval. Enduring Knowledge explores artistic heritage and ways of making with local materials, featuring innovative works informed by long-standing traditions and ceremonial customs. The exhibition concludes with Evolving Faith, a section considering how spirituality and systems of faith are expressed in contemporary practices.

Queensland Minister for Education and the Arts, the Honourable John-Paul Langbroek said: ‘Over three decades and 11 editions, the groundbreaking Asia Pacific Triennial has represented the work of over 650 artists, collectives and community groups from 50 countries across Asia, Australia and the Pacific.

‘To date, more than four million visitors have experienced the unique art, culture and storytelling of the exhibition series, with the last five triennials injecting more than $140 million into the Queensland economy.

‘This collaboration with the V&A represents a significant moment for the contemporary art of our region and provides an important international platform for leading Queensland artists including Michael Cook (Bidjara people), Naomi Hobson (Kaantju/Umpila peoples), Shirley Macnamara (Indjalandji/Alyawarr peoples), Ken Thaiday Sr (Meriam Mir people) and Judy Watson (Waanyi people).

‘Aligned with the Crisafulli Government’s 10-year arts and culture strategy, Queensland’s Time to Shine, this exhibition showcases Queensland’s artistic excellence, deepens international relationships and strengthens our reputation as a dynamic cultural destination.’

‘Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific’ is a Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art exhibition presented in partnership with the Victoria & Albert Museum, supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

The exhibition is on display at The Porter Gallery, V&A South Kensington from 16 May 2026 until 10 January 2027. Visit vam.ac.uk

Experience ‘Rising Voices’ virtually through QAGOMA Collection Online, where videos, installation views and curatorial writing explore the works on tour and trace the history of the Asia Pacific Triennial from the early 1990s and into the future.

ENDS