Art, imagination and play take centre stage in GOMA’s new free exhibition Wonderstruck
Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) will open the doors to a wondrous world of colour, curiosity and pure imagination when new major exhibition Wonderstruck launches on Saturday June 28. Featuring more than 100 works by 70 leading Australian and international artists, the free, all-ages exhibition will transform the gallery into a dynamic sensory landscape of large-scale artworks, captivating small treasures and immersive experiences.
Presented across six vibrant chapters, Wonderstruck invites visitors to explore the many ways art can spark a sense of wonder. Whether it’s through interactive experiences, whimsical creations or contemplative works that encourage quiet moments and reward a closer look, the exhibition is all about seeing the world differently – and having fun while you do it.
Highlights include Yayoi Kusama’s beloved The Obliteration Room, where visitors can get hands-on and cover a white space with a sea of colourful dot stickers, Pip & Pop’s glittering installation Rainbow Bridge, and Slovenian artist Tobias Putrih’s monumental cardboard arch, Connection.
Patricia Piccinini’s The Observer and Ron Mueck’s In bed offer hyperreal encounters with emotion and scale, while Chinese artist Ai Weiwei reimagines Neolithic pottery with rebellious splashes of vivid colour.
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Sandra Selig’s floating marvel mid-air stretches hundreds of metres of fine white thread and tiny styrofoam balls around the space, forming a delicate structure that shifts as you move around it. And Michael Parekōwhai’s The Horn of Africa turns heads with a surreal, gravity-defying sculpture of a seal balancing a baby grand piano on its nose.
The Wonderstruck exhibition also invites participation. In flight by Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan sees visitors contribute their own small sculptures to an evolving collaborative installation, while a large-scale abstract painting by students from Brisbane State High School – created during a workshop led by celebrated Australian artist Gemma Smith – also features.
To mark the opening weekend on June 28–29, QAGOMA will host the Wonderstruck Festival from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm each day. This free, family-friendly celebration will bring the gallery to life with two jam-packed days of hands-on workshops, pop-up performances, artist talks, storytelling and live music – perfect for kids, teens and grown-up art lovers alike.
The Wonderstruck exhibition will run from June 28 to October 6, 2025. A range of ongoing public programs including talks, behind-the-scenes tours and special events will be announced soon. For more details, visit the QAGOMA website.
This article was written in partnership with our friends at QAGOMA.