To celebrate Queensland Art Gallery’s 10th anniversary, the Children’s Art Centre will present an interactive exhibition by New York-based, Icelandic artist Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir (aka Shoppy).
Shoppy creates spectacular artworks using synthetic hair. She believes that hair can inspire great personal creativity and is a way for people to express who they are to the world.
In this immersive installation children can engage with the artist’s ideas and working methods through hands-on activities. Young visitors will be invited to create their own extraordinary paper hairstyle using specially designed templates and be encouraged to help style a wall of artificial hair-like material.
Mirror Mirror is an interactive exploration of vanity, hence the abundance of shiny mirrors in all shapes and sizes. The fun part is where children are invited to select a crazy, colourful hairstyle to decorate using the materials provided. There are miniature tables and chairs set up with hair covered umbrellas and even a stage to present their new hairstyles to the local adoring crowds.
One wall is covered in artist, Shoppy’s signature rainbow “hair” (which is actually multi-colored rope) where little hands are welcome to plait or twist the artificial hair into any woven form they choose. It is an excellent wall for learning to weave – anyone for a fishtail? The walls of the entire exhibition are also decorated with Shoppy’s vibrant artwork.
The Mirror Mirror Exhibition provides a great opportunity for parents and carers to enjoy creating art with their children in a quiet space at GOMA. So allow the creativity to unfold – it might be surprising what ideas they come up with, after all hair is our expression of who we are to the world.
Queensland Gallery of Modern Art
The Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) is an art museum located in the South Bank precinct of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The gallery is part of the Queensland Cultural Centre.
Queensland Art Gallery was established in 1895 and moved to its current residence at South Bank in 1982. It was joined by the Gallery of Modern Art in 2006 and the galleries now house a globally significant collection of contemporary art from Australia, Asia and the Pacific.
Queensland Gallery of Modern Art is the Queensland Art Gallery’s second building, and is the largest gallery of modern and contemporary art in Australia. It complements the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) building, situated only 150 metres (490 ft) away. Queensland’s Gallery of Modern Art also houses Australia’s first purpose built cinematheque. The building was designed by Sydney architecture firm Architectus.
The experience of a visit starts when the striking architecture of our riverside galleries comes into view. Glimpses of Brisbane continue to anchor you to our subtropical city from inside each gallery, while ever-changing exhibitions, programs and events broaden your horizons.
Queensland Art Gallery is also home to a Children’s Art Centre that presents interactive artworks for kids and families, a cinema that celebrates film from around the world, plus gallery shops with art, books and cultural curios to take home. Every visit is a conversation starter, and our outdoor cafes and award-winning restaurant offer places for stimulating discussion.