One of the biggest contemporary visual arts events in Australasia, the Asia Pacific Triennial opening this weekend will see over 600,000 people through the Queensland Art Gallery and Museum of Modern Art between now and April. Its big on numbers: they will see the work over 200 artists new and established from more than 30 countries across the Asia-Pacific region. Heading the curatorial team is a former curator at the Auckland Art gallery Zara Stanhope who has included a great group of New Zealand artists with major projects in the exhibition.
Among them is Anne Noble who appeared in the first triennial back in 1993. A beekeeper as well as artist, for Conversatio: A Cabinet of Wonder Anne has installed a live colony of bees for five months in QAGOMA. She's worked with scientists in Queensland to create a tunnel they can fly through, and through which the audience can see. Scientists involved study how bees orientate themselves and navigate at the Queensland Brain Institute. They have a 'bee laboratory' and their work has led to the development of pilotless aircraft. Noble has had a test hive at the institute testing the various patterns Noble might print on the bee tunnel.
