Part of Queensland Art Gallery’s Errant Objects exhibition, Boomerang 2006 is an awe-inspiring artistic installation from contemporary artist Ai Weiwei. Created by the superstar creative in 2006, Boomerang was the centrepiece of Ai Weiwei’s participation in the fifth Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art in 2006–07 and, thankfully for art lovers, he gifted the work to the QAGOMA collection. Created specifically for the Watermall space in QAG, this intensely lit, waterfall-style chandelier is shaped and named after the Aboriginal throwing tool. The bright-shining creation is composed of 270,000 diamond-like crystal beads (just let that sink in), creating a truly illuminating installation that takes the cake when it comes to sheer size and wonderment.
Ironically, the mammoth seven-tier chandelier was created just before artist Ai Weiwei made it big (later becoming a household name in both his home country of China and internationally). He credits early 20th century artist Marcel Duchamp as a huge influence for his work, a creative who famously brought otherwise everyday objects into galleries and declared them art, opening up new possibilities for what art could be. Ai Weiwei took on this convention-challenging way of making art and created Boomerang with this principle in mind, taking the chandelier and its aura of opulence and enlarging it to a grand scale, making it a monument to consumption and display. Sure to impress, Boomerang is a dreamy piece of art that has to be seen to be believed.
So you don’t miss out on setting your pretty peepers on this magnificent sparkling creation, QAGOMA is operating a free time-entry ticket system. QAG is currently open to a limited number of visitors from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily and GOMA will open to a limited number of visitors from Friday August 7. To book your free timed ticket to QAGOMA, head here.
Image credit: Ai Weiwei / Boomerang (installation view) 2006, QAG / Gift of the artist through the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation 2007 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery / © Ai Weiwei
