Detail of “Corupira” (2023), plywood, tapumes veneer, and tree branches, installation view of ‘Fairy Tales’ at Gallery of Modern Art Brisbane 2023. Photo by C Callistemon, © Henrique Oliveira and QAGOMA.
Henrique Oliveira’s Arboreal Labyrinth Ruptures the Entrance to an Enchanting Exhibition
From the ancient Mesopotamian “Epic of Gilgamesh” to the 18th-century French story of Beauty and the Beast, enchanted forests are an enduring trope of fairy tales.
Rather than open with the stereotypical “once upon a time,” Fairy Tales ushers viewers into a sinuous labyrinth of rupturing trees. The latest work of Henrique Oliveira (previously), the undulating installation is titled “Corupira” and establishes a winding pathway through the gallery.
All images courtesy of QAGOMA