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‘Living Patterns’
‘Living Patterns: Contemporary Australian Abstraction’
Sep 2023 - Feb 2024

Installation view of ‘Living Patterns’, featuring works by (l–r) Paul Bai, Timothy Cook, Tyza Hart and Jonny Niesche, Watermall, QAG, October 2023 / © The artists / Photograph: C Callistemon, QAGOMA

‘Living Patterns: Contemporary Australian Abstraction’ presented contemporary Australian artists who use abstraction as both a formal and a conceptual device for making new and renewed meaning, doing so through patterns, ornamentation and abstract forms that manifest in everyday life and across cultures.

This exhibition included works from QAGOMA’s Australian Art Collection, as well as works on loan. Find out more about these Collection works below, or explore the full Collection Online feature.

‘Living Patterns’ was held in QAG’s Gallery 3 (Kenneth and Yasuko Myer Gallery), Gallery 4 and Watermall from 23 Sep 2023 to 4 Feb 2024. Explore the full exhibition story.

 

Feature image: Emily Floyd’s Labour garden (detail) 2015 and Daniel Boyd’s Untitled (HNDFWMIAFN) 2017 installed for ‘Living Patterns’, QAG, October 2023 / © The artists / Photograph: C Callistemon, QAGOMA

 

LIVING PATTERNS

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An abstract artwork that looks like a starry cosmos on a black background, painted onto a tv monitor.
LIVING PATTERNS

WORKS ON LOAN: ‘Living Patterns’

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A detail view of a perforated vinyl window treatment looking onto the QAG Sculpture Garden.
LIVING PATTERNS

Curating abstraction

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Collection artworks featured in ‘Living Patterns’

Artwork Unwritten #1-5 this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint and charcoal on paper, created in 2017-01-01

Unwritten #1-5 2017
Artwork Kulama this artwork made of Natural pigments with synthetic binder on linen, created in 2012-01-01

Kulama 2012
Artwork Dibirdibi Country this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 2012-01-01

Dibirdibi Country 2012
Artwork No up, no down, just is this artwork made of Chinese ink, fire and rain on cold-pressed paper, created in 2018-01-01

No up, no down, just is 2018
Artwork Pepper’s ghost, wind turners, blue and yellow this artwork made of Acrylic, foam core, steel, reflective tinting, LEDs, motor, paint, wood, vinyl, created in 2018-01-01

Pepper’s ghost, wind turners, blue and yellow 2018
Artwork Untitled #I (from 'ALWAYS' series) this artwork made of Synthetic polymer and flash paint on cotton on cedar stretches, created in 2018-01-01

Untitled #I (from 'ALWAYS' series) 2018
Artwork Schein blossom (sonnen) this artwork made of Dye sublimation print on polyester voile, powder-coated steel, wood and mirror-polished brass, created in 2020-01-01

Schein blossom (sonnen) 2020
Artwork Aggregate Icon (Kaleidoscopic Catchment) this artwork made of Hand-cut digital photographs and archival tape, created in 2014-01-01

Aggregate Icon (Kaleidoscopic Catchment) 2014
Artwork The infinite distance between two points (no. 6) this artwork made of Vinyl or paint on wall, created in 2021-01-01

The infinite distance between two points (no. 6) 2021
Artwork Kulama this artwork made of Natural pigments with synthetic binder on linen, created in 2012-01-01

Kulama 2012
Artwork Women's work (1912) this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on unstretched canvas, created in 2017-01-01

Women's work (1912) 2017
Artwork Quiescence this artwork made of Chinese ink and fire on cold-pressed paper, created in 2018-01-01

Quiescence 2018
Artwork Milngurr this artwork made of Enamel paint on aluminium composite board (Alupanel), created in 2018-01-01

Milngurr 2018
Artwork Reinhardt Dammn: Things the mind already knows this artwork made of Enamel on aluminium, created in 2010-01-01

Reinhardt Dammn: Things the mind already knows 2010
Artwork Schein blossom (mond) this artwork made of Dye sublimation print on polyester voile, powder-coated steel, wood and mirror-polished brass, created in 2020-01-01

Schein blossom (mond) 2020
Artwork Buyku this artwork made of Natural pigments on incised bark, created in 2019-01-01

Buyku 2019
Artwork Untitled (HNDFWMIAFN) this artwork made of Oil, charcoal and archival glue on polyester, created in 2017-01-01

Untitled (HNDFWMIAFN) 2017
Artwork Labour garden this artwork made of Epoxy paint on aluminium, printed matter, created in 2015-01-01

Labour garden 2015
Artwork Elliptical rain this artwork made of Chinese ink, rain and fire on cold-pressed paper, created in 2018-01-01

Elliptical rain 2018
Artwork Resting in a cloud of stars this artwork made of Chinese ink and fire on cold-pressed paper, created in 2018-01-01

Resting in a cloud of stars 2018
Artwork Dhomala (Macassan canoe) sail this artwork made of Woven pandanus (pandanus spiralis), hand-rolled kurrajong (brachychiton populneus) bark string, created in 2019-01-01

Dhomala (Macassan canoe) sail 2019-20
Artwork Schein blossom (feueur) this artwork made of Dye sublimation print on polyester voile, powder-coated steel, wood and mirror-polished brass, created in 2020-01-01

Schein blossom (feueur) 2020
Artwork Larrakitj this artwork made of Wood with white clay pigment, created in 2017-01-01

Larrakitj 2017

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A detail view of a collage work appearing as a kaleidoscopic circle of hand-cut photographs

LIVING PATTERNS

2023–24