Image: Yuriyal Bridgeman, cardboard composition tiles. Courtesy the artist and Milani Gallery, Meanjin/Brisbane.
21 November 2024 – 15 March 2025
Griffith University Art Museum is delighted to present Yuriyal Bridgeman: yubilong(mi)bilongyu which includes significant new works that reflect the culmination of Bridgeman’s most recent research practice, along with a selection of works, many in bold and breathtaking bright colours, surveying the breadth of Bridgeman’s career to date.
Bridgeman’s work is deeply anchored in the traditional cultural practices of his Papua New Guinean community while also bringing incisive perspectives to the context of contemporary art. Born in Redcliffe, Queensland, Bridgeman now lives and works between Kau-in-Kau-in lands of the Ningy Ningy people on the Redcliffe Peninsula, the Turrbul/Yuggera Country of Kurilpa (West End) in Meanjin/Brisbane and in PNG. Since he completed a Bachelor of Photography at the Queensland College of Art in 2008, Bridgeman has carved out a distinctive presence within the contemporary art landscape of the Asia-Pacific region.
Today, Bridgeman’s practice encompasses photography, video, painting, sculpture and installation. His photographic and video works are positioned in portraiture and social commentary, often featuring loved ones and members of his community. His painting and sculpture practice, developed during his time in PNG, draws deeply from the traditions of the Yuri Alaiku men’s practices in the Simbu Province. Bridgeman is also the co-founder of the artist collective Haus Yuriyal, where he plays a key role in developing the group’s contemporary art projects, which will be showcased in the 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in 2024–25.
Bridgeman has regularly exhibited in group and solo exhibitions across Australia, including at QAGOMA, Brisbane; Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA), Sydney; Linden New Art, Melbourne; and Milani Gallery, Brisbane. Bridgeman’s work has also featured on the international stage, notably NIRIN: 22nd Sydney Biennale, held across Cockatoo Island and the MCA.
This exhibition, Yuriyal Bridgeman: yubilong(mi) bilongyu, is also accompanied by a monograph which offers the first in-depth exploration of Bridgeman’s career to date. It presents cultural perspectives on his work from family members, community leaders in PNG, as well as leading artists, writers, and curators, and exploring Bridgeman’s commitment to creating art within the context of community while also navigating the journey of an individual artist.
This exhibition and publication have been co-curated and co-edited by Angela Goddard, Director of Griffith University Art Museum and respected Bougainville Elder and art curator Aunty Sana Balai.
The publication includes texts from: Sana Balai, Veronica Gikope, Angela Goddard, Pat Hoffie, Joe Kuman, Ruth McDougall, Michael Mel, Archie Moore, Khaled Sabsabi, Aaron Seeto, John von Sturmer and Bomai Witne.
Opening celebrations for Yuriyal Bridgeman: yubilong(mi)bilongyu were held at Griffith University Art Museum on Sunday 1 December 2024, 5-7pm, with music by ∑GG√ein and catering by Lambinades.
Installation Images
