Gathering is a culture-based community collaboration, led by leading local artists Elverina Johnson and Francoise Lane. The final sculptural form which looks like a paperbark bulmba is currently on display at Bulmba-ja and invites further community interaction through workshops as part of the WOW Cairns festival.

Elverina Johnson of Paperbark Arts and Francoise Lane of Indij Design began the making of Gathering on Gungganji Country. The paperbark was woven into the mudi (lawyer cane) frame using swamp reed and rainforest twine to create the base for the collaborative art piece. Working with members of the community on Country oil pastels were applied to paperbark to create drawings inspired by themes of Country and the ‘grounding’ experience of the morning. During WOW Cairns the artwork will be built upon with themes inspired by the waterways weaving through Country; nurturing and sustaining life.

This exhibition will run until June. WOW Cairns will take place from Friday 13 to Saturday 14 May at Bulmba-Ja Arts Centre.

For more information on WOW Cairns visit: wowaustralia.com.au/wow-cairns-2022

Gathering was created by Elverina Johnson and Francoise Lane for Women of the World Festival, Cairns.