Artists in CQ: Of The Region

Exhibition Overview:

Artists in CQ: Of the Region brings together the art practices of several artists, presenting a multi-disciplinary conversation about national identity and the acknowledgement of Asian cultures as an enduring component of Australian culture. Featuring: Ping Carlyon, Jacky Chan, Remy Faint, Qing Huang, Hanbing Lu and Anitha Menon. Curated by Robert Connell and Emily Wakeling. 5 April - 3 August 2025, Rockhampton Museum of Art (RMOA)

These collaborative works combine watercolour drawing with use of AI technology to create moving animations. The results share the artist’s exploration of the environment and natural wonders of Central Queensland, and the Taoist perspective of longing for serenity and appreciation for nature’s beauty. Rockhampton Shan Shui depicts a panoramic view, reminiscent of the Chinese landscape painting Dwelling in Fuchun Mountains by Huang Gongwang. Lu’s watercolour paintings form the basis of the animation, Huang uses algorithms to transform the watercolour into moving animations from over six thousand frames.

Wu Xing, Five Elements, is a fundamental concept in traditional Chinese philosophy, cosmology and medicine. It represents a dynamic system of five interrelated elements: Metal (金), Wood (木), Water (水), Fire (火), and Earth (土). Each element interacts with the others through cycles of creation and destruction, symbolising natural processes of growth, transformation and balance in the universe. Here Lu utilises the Five Elements as a framework to reflect harmony between humans and nature in the Central Queensland region.