With a strong First Nation presence, the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Arts' recent Embodied Knowledge exhibition featured 19 artists from across Queensland highlighting issues of Indigenous artists, voices of women and LGBTQIA+ artists.

Co-curated by Ellie Buttrose and Katina Davidson, the exhibition opened with a rendition of the national anthem and Welcome to Country by Turrbal Elder and mezzo-soprano singer Maroochy Barambah.

QAGOMA director Chris Saines said the exhibition highlighted the vitality and diversity of the state's artistic landscape.

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After the opening, a performance by Obery Sambo and the award-winning Meuram Murray Island Dance Group who shared stories of culture from Mer (Murray Island).

A stand out piece was from the exhibition was Girramay artist Ethel Murray's Rope Bigin (shield).

Normally carved from softwood and painted with ochre, Murray instead used lengths of orange, yellow, black and white synthetic rope.

Grateful to be adding onto her father's designs, Murray said the rope implied and exaggerated the movement of would-be use of the shields in battle or ceremony.

"The other two are my designs but really I am proud to have my father's design here," Ms Murray said.

"We are trying to get the younger generation to follow along (and create art). They have hidden talents but wont always show it."

Embodied Knowledge features Rosie Ware's Ngau Buai 2022, a dazzling five-metre cloth textile referring to her family's migration from the South Sea Islands to the Torres Strait.

'Embodied Knowledge' will be on display at QAGOMA until 22 January 2023.