Ihor Holubizky & Jon Tupper on Asia Pacific Triennial.

In reviewing the first Asia Pacific Triennial (Sydney Morning Herald, 25 September 1993), Felicity Fenner concluded, "Overall the exhibition represented a major breakthrough in Australia's hitherto patchy relationship with Asian-Pacific art, and the conquering spirit of our political 'push into Asia' is happily replaced by a relatively open dialogue between the dozen or so nations represented with almost 200 works by seventy-six artists. Within the next few years, it is set to become at least as important to Australia as the twenty-year-old Biennale of Sydney." In the first three triennials, through 1999, more than 220 artists were shown (including repeats) from over twenty countries. A mere coral atoll in the Pacific, Niue, sidled up to the world's most populated nation, China. Size shouldn't matter, and with the vast geographic area of Asia-Pacific--over half the world's population according to the year 2000 UN report--statistical probability alone suggests an overwhelming art production. It is the new glob al industry feeding a new cultural tourism. In sharp contrast, Asia Pacific Triennial (APT) 2002 was pared down to sixteen artists and one collaborative group. The Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) selection rationale was those artists "who made, and continue to make profound contributions to modern culture," and to show those artists "in depth." In addition a moving image component was described as the "heart" of the APT. The selection of sixteen was grounded by three senior artists, Nam June Paik (South Korea/USA, b. 1932), Yayoi Kusama (Japan, b. 1929) and Lee U-fan (South Korea/Japan, b. 1936). The other artists were Montien Boonma (Thailand, 1953-2000); Eugene Carchesio (Australia, b. 1960); Hen Dono (Indonesia, b. 1960); Joan Grounds (USA/Australia, b. 1939); Ralph Hotere (Aotearoa New Zealand, b. 1931); Jose Legaspi (Philippines, b. 1959); Michael Ming Hong Lin (Taiwan, b. 1964);

Nalini Malani (India, b. 1946); Lisa Reihana (Aotearoa New Zealand, b. 1964); Michael Riley (Australia, Wiradjuri/Gamilaroi people, b. 1960); Song Dong (China, b. 1966); Suh Do-Ho (South …