Introducing 'Worlds within Worlds'

Drawn from the QAGOMA Collection, ‘Worlds within Worlds: Baroque Traditions, Contemporary Visions’ explores how the symbolic and stylistic features of art from the Baroque period (around 1600–1750) have been invoked by contemporary artists, who – like their predecessors of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries – are reflecting on a world in flux. These works suggest parallels between Baroque and contemporary artists in their desire to interrogate structures of religion and power, the changing relationship between humans and nature, and ideas of decay and destruction.

The Baroque was a time of dramatic transformation in art, religion, culture, science and politics in Europe. It saw both the rise of powerful, absolute monarchies and the growth of parliamentary systems and civic freedoms. Religious and dynastic wars devastated central Europe and redrew political boundaries; imperialist ambitions fuelled commerce, wealth and rivalry; and shifting geographical alliances kept Europe in a state of tension.

Characterised by the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment, the Baroque period also witnessed the emergence of modern science, which ushered in a profound questioning of truth. In reflecting on their tumultuous world, artists of the day employed unconventional perspectives, a heightened sense of movement and dramatic use of light and colour to engage the viewer’s senses and emotions. Through their works, they questioned humanity’s relationship to visible, invisible and natural worlds, spiritual and psychological realities, mortality and the passing of time.

Responding to the challenges of the twentieth century and into the present day, the artists featured in ‘Worlds within Worlds’ activate a Baroque sensibility to reflect on our similarly chaotic and unsettled modern world. The works on display demonstrate how the style can manifest in new guises in times of immense uncertainty – as division, scepticism and the decentring of power create profound shifts in our experience.

'Worlds within Worlds: Baroque Traditions, Contemporary Visions' is on display from March to August 2026 in Gallery 4, QAG. To make the most of your visit, check the exhibition dates, get information on getting here and parking, and find out about Gallery accessibility.