About

Join us on Friday 10 July from 6:30pm for the opening of 'Archetypes: 30 Years of 4A', a landmark exhibition bringing together artists across generations to reflect on three decades of Asian Australian contemporary art.

For thirty years, 4A has grown into one of Australia’s most important platforms for contemporary art and diasporic storytelling, championing artists, communities and cultural exchange across Australia and the Asia-Pacific.

'Archetypes is both a celebration and a reckoning.” said Thea Baumann, CEO of 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art. 'Thirty years ago, 4A was established because Asian Australian artists were too often excluded from the stories Australia’s cultural institutions were telling about themselves. While much has changed, the questions that shaped our founding remain urgent: who is visible, whose histories are remembered, and who gets to imagine the future?”

Bringing together artists across generations, 'Archetypes' honours the artists, curators, communities and cultural workers who have shaped 4A over the past three decades, while looking ahead to the future of Asian Australian contemporary art.

Guest curated by Amelia Winata, Editor of Memo Review and Curator at ACMI, the exhibition features pioneering artists Maria Cruz, Dacchi Dang, Emil Goh (1966-2009), Jumaadi, Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook and Koji Ryui in dialogue with a new generation of artists: Samraing Chea, Spencer Lai, Yasmin Smith, Amy Stuart, Sarah Ujmaia and Yusi Zang.

We look forward to sharing this special milestone with you.

📌 Artists:

Samraing Chea

Maria Cruz

Dacchi Dang

Emil Goh (1966-2009)

Jumaadi

Spencer Lai

Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook

Koji Ryui

Yasmin Smith

Amy Stuart & MSAC Collective

Sarah Ujmaia

Yusi Zang

📌 Archetypes: 30 Years of 4A

🗓 11 July – 20 September 2026

🕐 Wed–Sun, 11am–5pm

🎟 Free entry

Date

Location

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4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
181-187 Hay Street, Haymarket NSW 2000

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