Look back at World Expo ‘88 by taking in the extensive collection of artworks featured in this city-shaping event.
This public art trail features artworks and artefacts associated with World Expo ‘88.
This huge event was held in Brisbane between 30 April and 30 October 1988, and attracted more than 15 million visitors to the city.
The World Expo '88 Public Art Trail takes a closer look at some of the iconic artworks and landmarks that celebrate this city-shaping event.
There are 29 highlights on this trail, which spans the CBD and includes two artworks at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha.
Continuous Division, Greg Johns
Artist: Greg Johns
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: Roma Street Parklands, situated near the College Close carpark
Forged from corten steel, Continuous Division is now located at Roma Street Parklands.
Forme del Mito, Arnaldo Pomodoro
Artist: Arnaldo Pomodoro
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: Edward Street
Forme del Mito by internationally renowned Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro tells the tragic story of Agamemnon from Ancient Greece. Fabricated in cast bronze each piece has its own identity. 'The Prophet' Cassandra, 'The Machine' Aegisthus, 'Ambition' Clytesmnestra and 'Power' Agamemnon King of Mycenea.
This artwork has recently been restored, as part of Council's restorations and relocation works for the 30th anniversary.
Gestation, Baile Oakes
Artist: Baile Oakes
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: Queen Street Mall
Gestation is the first work in a series of monumental sculptures created by American artist Baile Oakes. Commissioned for World Expo '88, the artwork was created in Seattle and flown to Brisbane, where it has remained since. The spiral structure of the sculpture, references the cyclical and balanced nature of our world, which nurtures and evolves all life forms.
This artwork has recently been restored, as part of Council's artwork restoration and relocations works for the 30th anniversary.
Juxtaposition 1, Robert J. Morris (1988)
Artist: Robert J. Morris
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: King Edward Park
Juxtaposition 1 artist Robert J Morris exhibited an artwork from the same sculptural series entitled Rainforest on the World Expo '88 site. Best known for his abstract painting, Morris also created sculptural work and jewellery. His work is held in several collection across Australia, including the University of Queensland Art Museum Collection.
Memories of Wind, Fumio Nishmura
Artist: Fumio Nishmura
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: King Edward Park, Wickham Terrace
Memories of Wind was one of four sculptures exhibited at World Expo '88 by Japanese artist, Fumio Nishimura.
Soft lines of a female figure emerge from the sculpture's abstract granite forms. The figure remains unaffected by the passing of time in its environment, as Nishimura contrasts the ephemeral state of memory with the permanency of stone.
Mirage, Gidon Graetz
Artist: Gidon Graetz
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: Brisbane Arcade, Queen Street Mall
This optical illusion is another popular piece from World Expo '88. Fabricated in stainless steel the piece looks different from every angle. Notoriously difficult to photograph, Mirage is now located in Brisbane Arcade.
Morning Star II, Jon Barlow Hudson
Artist: Jon Barlow Hudson
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: City Botanic Gardens, close to entrance to QUT
In 1988, acclaimed American sculptor, Jon Barlow Hudson, was commissioned to create Morning Star II for World Expo '88. The colossal sculpture was originally installed at the centre of the expo site within 'Times Square'.
Barlow Hudson harnesses the technologies of mirrored steel to integrate and reflect the environment the sculpture is situated within.
Plant Form, Robert Juniper
Artist: Robert Juniper
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: City Botanic Gardens, Bunya Walk
Throughout his career, Juniper created a number of 'plant form' sculptures - the forms are derived from his semi-abstract landscape paintings. Originally from Western Australia, Juniper interpreted Australian fauna through abstract rendering of oversized steel planes.
Plant Form was loaned by the artist for World Expo '88 and later purchased by Brisbane City Council.
Artist: Artbusters
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: Brisbane Square Library, Level 2, 266 George Street (river wall display)
Following the successful commission of the almost 80 life-size Human Factor artworks, this small-scale sculpture was created by Artbusters, and gifted to the city. The sculpture depicts a saluting Scout, a pose which has also been captured in the cast-from-life sculpture Be Prepared.
The Human Factor series - The Juggler, Artbusters
Artist: Artbusters
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: King George Square deck
The Human Factor series was created by Brisbane's Artbusters in the late 1980s. The first iterations of this iconic series were installed throughout the World Expo '88 site. The figure seen here today has been re-imaged and re-cast for the 30th anniversary of World Expo '88, giving residents and visitors a sense of the celebration that World Expo '88 was.
The Human Factor series - The Trapeze Artist, Artbusters
Artist: Artbusters
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: King George Square carpark entry, Adelaide Street
The Human Factor series was created by Brisbane's Artbusters in the late 1980s. The first iterations of this iconic series were installed throughout the World Expo '88 site. The figure seen here today has been re-imaged and re-cast for the 30th anniversary of World Expo '88, giving residents and visitors a sense of the celebration that World Expo '88 was.
Times Square
Suburb: Brisbane City
Location: Museum of Brisbane
This commemorative stone features elements from Jon Barlow Hudson's sculpture Morning Star II, which was installed in the center of the World Expo '88 site, known as 'Times Square'. The complete sculpture is now residing in the City Botanic Gardens.
The Human Factor series - The Drover and his Mate, Artbusters
Artist: Artbusters
Suburb: Bowen Hills
Location: RNA Showgrounds, 631 Gregory Terrace
Commissioned for World Expo '88, the Human Factor series was a recognisable, appealing and somewhat whimsical depictions of Australian life. Cast from life, the almost 80 figures acted to unify the site in an ever-changing streetscape of entertainers.
The Human Factor series - The Ramp (part), Artbusters
Artist: Artbusters
Suburb: Cannon Hill
Location: Murarrie Recreation Reserve, 1233 Wynnum Road
Commissioned for World Expo '88, the Human Factor series was a recognisable, appealing and somewhat whimsical depictions of Australian life. Cast from life, the almost 80 figures acted to unify the site in an ever-changing streetscape of entertainers.
Suburb: Fortitude Valley
Location: Beirne Lane, TC Beirne & Co, 321 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
The Carol Lloyd Memorial was installed at the TC Beirne and Co building, along the laneway that connects Brunswick Street Mall and 30 Duncan St, Fortitude Valley and provides a short history of Carol Lloyd and her significance in the development of live music in Brisbane City and Fortitude Valley. Carol co-wrote the iconic 'Together, We'll Show the World' theme song for World Expo '88.
The Human Factor series - Be Prepared, Artbusters
Artist: Artbusters
Suburb: Kangaroo Point
Location: 200 River Terrace
Commissioned for World Expo '88, the Human Factor series was a recognisable, appealing and somewhat whimsical depictions of Australian life. Cast from life, the almost 80 figures acted to unify the site in an ever-changing streetscape of entertainers.
The Man and Matter series, Peter D Cole
Artist: Peter D Cole
Suburb: Kangaroo Point
Location: Kangaroo Point Cliffs Boardwalk, Lower River Terrace
The Man and Matter series consists of 12 steel sculptures installed along the Kangaroo Point Cliffs Boardwalk. Originally, these sculptures were commissioned for the riverside promenade of Brisbane's World Expo '88.
Referencing the World Expo '88 theme of 'Leisure in the Age of Technology', Cole considers the relationships between humans and technology through simple visual symbology and the redressing of traditional limitations of sculpture.
The iconic red figures are a lasting homage to World Expo '88, and a recognition of Brisbane's advancement into the 21st century.
This artwork has recently been restored, as part of Council's artwork restoration and relocations works for the 30th anniversary.
The Rock, Stephen Killick
Artist: Stephen Killick
Suburb: Kangaroo Point
Location: Captain Burke Park
Originally located near the Australian pavilion at World Expo '88, The Rock responds to the theme of 'Leisure in the age of Technology'. Killick uses international media and events to create a collection of humorous motifs which record the political issues of the day.
The Human Factor series - The Butterfly Catchers, Artbusters
Artist: Artbusters
Suburb: Mt Coot-tha
Location: Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha
The Human Factor series was created by Brisbane's Artbusters in the late 1980s. The first iterations of this iconic series were installed throughout the World Expo '88 site. The figure seen here today has been re-imaged and re-cast for the 30th anniversary of World Expo '88, giving residents and visitors a sense of the celebration that World Expo '88 was.
Great Planet, Inge King
Artist: Inge King
Suburb: South Brisbane
Location: Gallery 5, Queensland Art Gallery
A leading Australian exponent of abstract sculpture, Inge King's Great Planet 1976-77 exemplifies a great simplicity of form, which belies its physical weight. When King began welding in 1959 - one of only a handful of women artists in the field - she used steel (the industrial material of her age) in an expressionist manner, leaving exposed the rugged texture of the welding. Over the years, this texture eventually disappeared and her forms became simpler and more monumental. Beyond its formally satisfying design, Great Planet has an air of mystery, an aura of power and a commanding presence. The sculpture was lent to Expo '88 from the Queensland Art Gallery's collection.Note: Great Planet is part of the QAGOMA Geometries exhibition, on display within the Queensland Art Gallery building until 2 February 2020. Opening hours: 10am-5pm daily.
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Night Companion (Sky Needle), Charles Sutherland
Artist: Charles Sutherland
Suburb: South Brisbane
Location: Manning Street
Perhaps one of the most well-known artworks from World Expo '88 Night Companion (or Sky Needle as it's more commonly known) is artist Charles Sutherland's interpretation of a sculpture by Robert Owen.
Paradigm (Marquette), Jon Barlow Hudson
Artist: Jon Barlow Hudson
Suburb: South Brisbane
Location: State Library of Queensland, 29 Stanley Street
Created by acclaimed American sculptor Jon Barlow Hudson, this work is a sectional model of his Paradigm sculpture, which was created for Brisbane's Expo '88.
The original Paradigm sculpture was constructed of stainless steel, measured 30 metres in height, and was a dominant feature outside the USA pavilion at the northern end of the Expo site. Paradigm was based on the double helix of the DNA molecule, and during Expo '88 it housed 66 aeroplane landing lights, making it a memorable feature of Brisbane's night-time landscape.
Artist: Artbusters
Suburb: South Brisbane
Location: Ernest Street Parkway and Stanley Street Plaza, South Bank
The Human Factor series was created by Brisbane's Artbusters in the late 1980s. The first iterations of this iconic series were installed throughout the World Expo '88 site. The figure seen here today has been re-imaged and re-cast for the 30th anniversary of World Expo '88, giving residents and visitors a sense of the celebration that World Expo '88 was.
The 'Human Factor' series - Jennifer, Artbusters
Artist: Artbusters
Suburb: South Brisbane
Location: South Bank House, Stanley Street Plaza, South Bank
The Human Factor series was created by Brisbane's Artbusters in the late 1980s. The first iterations of this iconic series were installed throughout the World Expo '88 site. The figure seen here today has been re-imaged and re-cast for the 30th anniversary of World Expo '88, giving residents and visitors a sense of the celebration that World Expo '88 was.
The 'Human Factor' series - The Dancers, Artbusters
Artist: Artbusters
Suburb: South Brisbane
Location: Melbourne Street and Manning Street
The Human Factor series was created by Brisbane's Artbusters in the late 1980s. The first iterations of this iconic series were installed throughout the World Expo '88 site. The figure seen here today has been re-imaged and re-cast for the 30th anniversary of World Expo '88, giving residents and visitors a sense of the celebration that World Expo '88 was.
The Art of Central Australia, Papunya painters
Artist: Papunya painters
Suburb: South Brisbane
Location: Plaza Gallery, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
The paintings in this gallery were originally commissioned for display at World Expo '88. They represent a style of Aboriginal painting that emerged from one of the most remarkable developments in 20th century art. In the early 1970s, 250 kilometres west of Alice Springs at the Aboriginal settlement of Papunya, artists began to paint their traditional designs using modern art materials.
John Truscott, the Creative Director of Expo '88, originally proposed the idea of commissioning paintings by Aboriginal artists from the central desert for an Expo display at South Bank. The 27 paintings were assembled in 1987. They were installed as part of the Expo Authority's own pavilion and were displayed outdoors, under protective sails, in a spiral arrangement devised by Truscott. The collection was called The Art of Central Australia.
Note
The Gallery is occasionally closed for functions.
INUKSHUK, Inuit people of Northwest Territories of Canada
Artist: Inuit people of Northwest Territories of Canada
Suburb: Spring Hill
Location: Victoria Park, between Gregory Terrace and Herston Road
On the occasion of World Expo '88, the people of the Northwest Territories, Canada, offered their congratulations to the Commonwealth of Australia on its 200th anniversary of nationhood. This stone cairn Inukshuk is a symbol of the two countries. High in the Canadian Arctic, Inuit built stone Inukshuks in the shape of humans to direct herds of migrating caribou to hunters and to act as landmarks for travellers.
Showdown, Chris Beecroft
Artist: Chris Beecroft
Suburb: Spring Hill
Location: Gregory Terrace and Gregory Grove, Spring Hill (median island)
In Australia's bicentennial year, 1988, Brisbane hosted World Expo '88 for a six month period and welcomed more than 15 million visitors. To showcase Australian art for the duration of the festivities, World Expo '88 commissioned some of Australia's leading artists to exhibit alongside internationally renowned artists in the World Expo '88 sculpture park.
In 2018, Showdown was restored and relocated to Spring Hill to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this city-shaping event.
Suburb: Toowong
Location: Anzac Park
A joint project between Brisbane City Council, World Expo '88, Men of the Trees and Greening Australia, the Rainforest Grove is the only remanent of Expo '88 still in its original location. Planted just prior to the commencement of Expo '88, the Rainforest Grove was a beautification project.The Brisbane City Council undertook many street and park beautification projects, mostly on routes from the Airport to the CBD.One exception was the Expo '88 Rainforest Grove, undertaken at Mt Coot-tha, as it expected to see a tourist influx during the Expo period.
World Expo '88 showcased Brisbane on the global stage and promoted cultural exchange and economic development. The event theme, ’Leisure in the Age of Technology’, explored the evolving relationship between technology, leisure and the human experience.
World Expo '88 was held in South Bank from 30 April to 30 October and attracted more than 15 million visitors.
See artworks and artefacts from the event on Council’s World Expo ‘88 - 30th Anniversary public art trail.
