Queensland's Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Meanjin/Brisbane has opened 'Wonderstruck', a major free exhibition featuring over 100 works from its collection. The show includes large-scale installations by artists such as Patricia Piccinini, Ron Mueck, Michael Parekōwhai, Yayoi Kusama, and Tobias Putrih, with interactive elements encouraging visitors to touch the art. Highlights include Kusama's 'The Obliteration Room', a participatory installation where visitors cover a white space with colorful stickers, and works created by local high school students in a workshop with artist Gemma Smith.
The exhibition is designed as a counterweight to global heaviness, aiming to help both children and adults experience wonder—a feeling shown to boost happiness and wellbeing. Co-curators Tamsin Cull and Laura Mudge argue that wonder is especially vital in turbulent times, fostering empathy and connection to the shared human experience and the planet. By prioritizing crowd-pleasing, interactive works and free admission, 'Wonderstruck' positions art as an accessible tool for mental health and social cohesion, reinforcing QAGOMA's role as a community-oriented institution.