Winter Exhibitions at Wagga Wagga Art Gallery brings Aboriginal art from the desert to our town

Published: 04 Jul 2024 1:13pm

This winter, Wagga Wagga Art Gallery presents an exhibition of beautiful Aboriginal art from remote South Australia, complimented by two new exhibitions from artists local to Wagga Wagga and Northeast Victoria.

As part of the Winter Exhibitions program launching on Saturday, Nganampa Ngura Inmatjara: Our Country, Our Song, presents stunning large-scale paintings from artists from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands.

The exhibition has been curated by Wagga Wagga Art Gallery in conjunction with APYACC (the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands Art Centre Collective).

Produced across the APY Lands in five community art centres, the selected paintings depict dreaming stories relating to Country.

Closer to home, Kellie Hulm and Paul Williams: Selected Works showcases recent artworks from two of Wagga Wagga’s premier artists.

Kellie Hulm produces playful, large-scale paintings abound with spirited colour which will be shown alongside Paul Williams’s recent foray into ceramic sculpture and his paintings featuring layers of colour.

Hulm and Williams work out of The Art Factory supported studio with whom the Gallery is proud to partner for this exhibition.

Inga Hanover’s sen mēs tev jau gaidījām – we have been waiting for you long ago – reflects on the broader refugee and migration experience of Australia through personal stories.

The exhibition weaves together textiles and video to draw viewers into the ancient and enduring rituals and folklore of the artist’s indigenous Latvian heritage.

Director Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, Dr Lee-Anne Hall said the Gallery is excited to welcome the community to the opening of these new shows.

“Our winter exhibitions reflect the diversity of contemporary Australian art which will delight and excite viewers,” Dr Hall said.

“The Winter Exhibitions Launch on Saturday promises to be a memorable event: on the eve of NAIDOC Week, a Smoking Ceremony will be led by Luke Wighton to welcome all to the Art Gallery.

“Following will be an opportunity to hear from our special guests from the APY Lands; Sandra Pumani - Artist and Chair APY Art Centre Collective, and ceramic artist Alfred Lowe.”

Across the school holidays, check out the Art Gallery’s Winter Art Camp workshops for kids and teens from 16-19 July.

The Winter Exhibitions Launch will be held on Saturday 6 July, 4pm - 6pm. Free to attend, all welcome, bookings encouraged via  Wagga Wagga Art Gallery website.

The Wagga Wagga Art Gallery will be open late on Saturday 6 July and Saturday 13 July to coincide with the Festival of W being held in the Wollundry Precinct.

Visitors to the festival can enjoy free entry to the Art Gallery until 8pm on these two Saturdays to view the stunning Winter Exhibitions on display.