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‘A Third Language’
Feb 2023 - Sep 2023

A brightly coloured, large-scale mural.

Whenever we translate from one tongue to another, we arrive at a third form of speech that sits somewhere between the two. This exhibition suggests that we all live and speak through a third language: a hybrid mode borne of the translations and generative mistranslations between words, cultures, and histories.

Featured artworks abound with pattern and repetition, for some artists, this visual multiplicity is used to express the more abstract concept of cultural multiplicity, in which the whole is made from many heterogenous yet interlocking parts.

Artists also explore what happens when artistic traditions roam, mutate and brush up against one another. As images are copied and re-copied in different locations, they become enriched by the inevitable mistranslations or ‘glitches’ in the chain of reproduction. We live in a world of echoes and amalgamations. The artists in ‘A Third Language’ capture this cacophony.


‘A Third Language’ was on display in QAG’s Gallery 5 (Henry and Amanda Bartlett Galleries) and Watermall from 11 February to 9 July 2023.


Feature image: Iman Raad’s Days of bliss and woe 2018 / Purchased 2018 with funds from Tim Fairfax AC through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / © Iman Raad

Collection artworks featured in ‘A Third Language’

Artwork Days of bliss and woe this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on plywood and timber, created in 2018-01-01

Days of bliss and woe 2018
Artwork Mary this artwork made of Tokatokoi, headdress: wood, feathers, plastic Virgin Mary figurine, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Mary 2011
Artwork Mary this artwork made of Tokatokoi, headdress: wood, feathers, plastic Virgin Mary figurine, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Mary 2011
Artwork Tokatokoi this artwork made of Headdress: wood, feathers, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Tokatokoi 2011
Artwork Tokatokoi this artwork made of Headdress: wood, feathers, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Tokatokoi 2011
Artwork Untitled (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) this artwork made of Watercolour with collage on paper, created in 1989-01-01

Untitled (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) 1989
Artwork The School of Arts (imaginary landscape) (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) this artwork made of Watercolour with collage on paper, created in 1989-01-01

The School of Arts (imaginary landscape) (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) 1989
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

A Chinese Ghost Story date unknown
Artwork Andichurai (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) this artwork made of Silkscreen print on Somerset Satin White 300gsm paper, created in 2018-01-01

Andichurai (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) 2018
Artwork Ragal (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) this artwork made of Silkscreen print on Somerset Satin White 300gsm paper, created in 2018-01-01

Ragal (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) 2018
Artwork Toor-Toor (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) this artwork made of Silkscreen print on Somerset Satin White 300gsm paper, created in 2018-01-01

Toor-Toor (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) 2018
Artwork Number three this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on linen, created in 2004-01-01

Number three 2004
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Garak, The Universe (Larrakitj) 2004
Artwork Larrakitj - Mumutthun (Paddle splash) this artwork made of Wood with natural pigments, created in 2006-01-01

Larrakitj - Mumutthun (Paddle splash) 2006
Artwork Mary this artwork made of Tokatokoi, headdress: wood, feathers, plastic Virgin Mary figurine, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Mary 2011
Artwork Mary this artwork made of Tokatokoi, headdress: wood, feathers, plastic Virgin Mary figurine, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Mary 2011
Artwork Tokatokoi this artwork made of Headdress: wood, feathers, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Tokatokoi 2011
Artwork Tokatokoi this artwork made of Headdress: wood, feathers, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Tokatokoi 2011
Artwork Hi inlander this artwork made of Treated skins (kangaroo, frog, fish and chicken), created in 1999-01-01

Hi inlander 1999
Artwork Allegorical painting (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) this artwork made of Watercolour with pencil on paper, created in 1989-01-01

Allegorical painting (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) 1989
Artwork The small brown house (with test patterns for thought) (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) this artwork made of Watercolour with pencil and collage on paper, created in 1989-01-01

The small brown house (with test patterns for thought) (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) 1989
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Species date unknown
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

My Father's Love 2 date unknown
Artwork Sothiou (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) this artwork made of Silkscreen print on Somerset Satin White 300gsm paper, created in 2017-01-01

Sothiou (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) 2017
Artwork Limoŋ (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) this artwork made of Silkscreen print on Somerset Satin White 300gsm paper, created in 2018-01-01

Limoŋ (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) 2018
Artwork Kurus (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) this artwork made of Silkscreen print on Somerset Satin White 300gsm paper, created in 2018-01-01

Kurus (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) 2018
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

From one cloth 1987
Artwork Number twelve this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on linen, created in 2007-01-01

Number twelve 2007
Artwork Interloper this artwork made of Stainless steel mesh, created in 2009-01-01

Interloper 2009
Artwork Mary this artwork made of Tokatokoi, headdress: wood, feathers, plastic Virgin Mary figurine, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Mary 2011
Artwork Mary this artwork made of Tokatokoi, headdress: wood, feathers, plastic Virgin Mary figurine, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Mary 2011
Artwork Tokatokoi this artwork made of Headdress: wood, feathers, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Tokatokoi 2011
Artwork Tokatokoi this artwork made of Headdress: wood, feathers, synthetic polymer paint, grass fibre, created in 2011-01-01

Tokatokoi 2011
Artwork The great necrophiliac (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) this artwork made of Watercolour with collage on paper, created in 1989-01-01

The great necrophiliac (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) 1989
Artwork Untitled (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) this artwork made of Watercolour on paper, created in 1989-01-01

Untitled (from 'Works from the People's Republic of Spiritual Revolution' series) 1989
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Rhythm of the Gods 2 date unknown
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Operation Scorpio date unknown
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Vampire Hunters date unknown
Artwork Tééré (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) this artwork made of Silkscreen print on Somerset Satin White 300gsm paper, created in 2018-01-01

Tééré (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) 2018
Artwork Nak Bejjen (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) this artwork made of Silkscreen print on Somerset Satin White 300gsm paper, created in 2018-01-01

Nak Bejjen (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) 2018
Artwork Peitaw (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) this artwork made of Silkscreen print on Somerset Satin White 300gsm paper, created in 2018-01-01

Peitaw (from ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ series) 2018
Artwork Tala this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on perforated canvas, created in 2005-01-01

Tala 2005
Artwork Gumatj larrakitj this artwork made of Wood (Eucalyptus tetrodonta) with natural pigments, created in 2008-01-01

Gumatj larrakitj 2008
Artwork Nomads this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 2014-01-01

Nomads 2014

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