We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art stands and recognise the creative contribution First Australians make to the art and culture of this country.
Abdul Abdullah
I’m interested in the disjuncture between perception/projection of identity and the reality of lived experience.
Artist Gallery
Open Studio artists are invited to curate their own Artist Gallery to display artworks by artists that inspire them. Explore the artworks that Abdul Abdullah selected from the QAGOMA Collection.
Artist Space
The Artist Space is a micro-version of the artist’s own studio. Explore images of the space to gain insights into the artist’s process.
Artist Interviews
Learn more about Abdul Abdullah by watching artist interviews filmed in Open Studio. Abdul discusses the influences on his work and how the idea of being “an outsider among outsiders” drives his practice.
Artist Tutorials
Consider the meaning of objects as symbols and how they can be combined with portraits to communicate something unexpected in these two tutorials.
Curriculum Links
Art as Lens: Much of Abdul Abdullah’s work focuses on people and identity. He seeks to challenge audience’s perceptions of, and assumptions about, groups perceived as ‘other’.
Art as Code: Abdul’s practice explores the power of signs and signifiers from popular culture in a post 9/11 context. He is interested using semiotics to communicate ideas that are not always obvious.
Art as Knowledge: Abdul’s body of work spans painting, photography, installation, video, performance and textiles, utilising a range of media to explore the experience of the ‘other’ in society. His work often considers the intersections between image and text, with artwork titles constructed to provoke and/or provide insight.
Art as Alternate: Abdul draws on his experience of feeling like ‘an outsider among outsiders’ to open up controversial issues and provoke conversations around race and identity in Australia.