NorthSite’s First Nations Exhibition Showcase during the annual Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) 2023 was a huge success for Artists, Curators, Art enthusiasts and the greater community. NorthSite presented four satellite exhibitions and two events at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre, showcased the artwork of local artists Heather Koowootha at the CIAF Art Fair and presented art and design of First Nations Artists at the CIAF Art Market.
Ahead of the opening of CIAF 2023 NorthSite, in partnership with IACA, held the CIAF Artist Party; a celebration for all artists presenting work for CIAF 2023. This event welcomed over 160 guests to our home at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre and included a special cultural performance by the Moa Island dance group, Mualgal Po Gubaw Gizu Kabau Mabaigal. We were thrilled to welcome back Djabugay band The Pad Boys as they delivered a live music set, celebrating their 30th year of music.
At the Cairns Convention Centre, NorthSite presented the major series of watercolour paintings by local artist Heather Koowootha titled ‘The Bush People’s walking path ways of Country’s site and story places’ 2023. This work was commissioned by Carriageworks for The National 4: New Australian Art earlier in the year, curated by Freja Carmichael and supported by NorthSite.
NorthSite represented a multitude of First Nations artists at the CIAF Art Market Stall; presenting art, design, textiles, fine art prints, merchandise, jewellery and much more from the NorthSite Store.
On Saturday (15 July) at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre, visitors gathered in the NorthSite gallery for a unique opportunity to meet the artists and curators of the four exhibitions and listen to them speak about their exhibitions. First up was Solomon Booth (artist) and Aven Noah Jr (curator) speaking about the exhibition Malu Bardthar Dapar | Sea Land Sky, next was Kim Ah Sam (artist) with Hamish Sawyer (Acting Director, NorthSite) speaking about the exhibition Woven Identity “it’s not only me”, Keemon Williams (artist) with Hamish Sawyer (Acting Director, NorthSite) spoke about the exhibition KAIKAI, followed by Sheree Jacobs (artist), Nicole Enoch-Chatfield (artist) and Jamaylya Ballangarry-Kearins (curator) spoke about the exhibition, SOVEREIGNTY.
The four First Nations exhibitions at NorthSite Contemporary Arts will be showing until late August. For more information visit: Exhibitions On Now.
NorthSite Contemporary Arts
Free Entry. Bulmba-ja, 96 Abbott Street, Cairns City
Monday-Friday: 10AM-5PM | Saturday: 9AM-1PM
Links:
Visit Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
Australian Arts Review
Artist Profile
Tropical North Queensland
CIAF Artist Party, 2023, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns. Photo: Cristian Bevilacqua, The Photo Corner.
CIAF Artist Party, 2023, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns. Photo: Cristian Bevilacqua, The Photo Corner.
CIAF Artist Party, 2023, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns. Photo: Cristian Bevilacqua, The Photo Corner.
CIAF Artist Party, 2023, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns. Photo: Cristian Bevilacqua, The Photo Corner.
CIAF Artist Party, 2023, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns. Photo: Cristian Bevilacqua, The Photo Corner.
CIAF Artist Party, 2023, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns. Photo: Cristian Bevilacqua, The Photo Corner.
CIAF Artist Party, 2023, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns. Photo: Cristian Bevilacqua, The Photo Corner.
NorthSite Market Stand at Cairns Convention Centre for CIAF 2023.
NorthSite Art Market Stand at Cairns Convention Centre for CIAF 2023.
Darren Blackman Wins CIAF Innovation Award
Darren Blackman, exhibition installation at CIAF Art Fair, 2023. Image courtesy of NorthSite.
A special congratulations to artist Darren Blackman on winning the Innovation Award for Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) 2023.
In 2022 Darren curated and exhibited work in the group exhibition REPATRIATE, showcasing the artworks of First Nations artists Dylan Mooney, Dylan Sarra, Kyra Mancktelow, Dion Beasley and Bernard Singleton Jr.
It was wonderful to see Darren working with new mediums for the 2023 CIAF Art Fair and to see his work recognised with the CIAF Innovation Award.
Read More: https://ciaf.com.au/ciaf-2023-art-awards
Group Exhibition coming to Cairns
Last weekend (Saturday 22 July) NorthSite’s Acting Director Hamish Sawyer headed to University of the Sunshine Coast Art Gallery for a conversation with Mandy Quadrio, Susan Hawkins and Jan Oliver about the exhibition Compositional Utterances where they also release the exhibition catalogue.
Compositional Utterances will be coming to The Court House Gallery in January 2024. Presented by NorthSite Contemporary Arts, in partnership with Cairns Regional Council.
Links:
- Compositional Utterances: Discover the exhibition
- University of the Sunshine Coast Art Gallery: Compositional Utterances
- Lemonade: Letters to Art
A Glimpse into the First Nations Exhibition Showcase
A Glimpse into the First Nations Exhibition Showcase
Northsite Contemporary Arts is excited to share the upcoming First Nations Exhibitions Showcase during the annual Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) 2023. Four exhibitions will be on display within the NorthSite galleries at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre accompanied by events and artist talks throughout the week of CIAF.
The exhibition ‘Malu Bardthar Dapar | Sea Land Sky’ by senior and emerging artists at Moa Arts Centre (Ngalmun Lagau Minaral) will showcase a range of printmaking and weaving artworks that investigate and reinterpret Melanesian mark marking, explore political and sociological storytelling related to Torres Strait culture, history and identity. “NorthSite continues to present culturally engaging and high quality First Nations showcasings. Malu Bardthar Dapar curated by Aven Noah Jr will be a popular CIAF Satellite exhibition choice”. said Francoise Lane (Artistic Director, CIAF).
Among ‘Malu Bardthar Dapar | Sea Land Sky’ are three exceptional exhibitions including ‘Woven Identity’ by Kim Ah Sam, ‘KAIKAI’ by Keemon Williams and the group exhibition ‘SOVEREIGNTY’ curated by Jamaylya Ballangarry-Kearins.
To celebrate these exhibitions and the artists presenting work for CIAF 2023, NorthSite in partnership with the Indigenous Art Centre Alliance (IACA) is hosting the ‘CIAF Artists’ Party’ on Tuesday, 11 July from 6PM. For tickets and more information visit: https://northsite.org.au/event/ciaf-artists-party/
‘NorthSite Open’ will take place on Saturday, 15 July from 2PM and guest will have the opportunity to engage directly with the artists from these exhibitions during the Artists Talks. For tickets and more information visit: https://northsite.org.au/event/northsite-open-ciaf-2023/
Jamaylya Ballangarry-Kearins takes to the stage
We’re proud to see Jamaylya Ballangarry-Kearins (NorthSite Gallery Officer) take to the stage with JUTE Theatre Company’s First Nations residency program, ‘Dare to Dream’.
The ‘Dare to Dream’ program was established in 2016 by JUTE to tell the stories of First Nations people for First Nations people. ‘I Gut this Feeling’ is the latest initiative to come from the ‘Dare to Dream’ program that aims to educate and entertain audiences through its clever and comical theatre experience.
Over the next 5 weeks, this production will tour to five communities on the Cape York Peninsula: Mossman SHS, Weipa W C C, Mapoon, Lockhart State School and Normanton State School.
Hamish Sawyer attended the premiere performance in Cairns earlier this month. “Wonderful to attend the premiere performance of ‘Dare to Dream’ at JUTE tonight before it goes on tour to Cape communities – Jam, you’re a star”. said Hamish Sawyer, NorthSite Acting Director.
Congratulations Jamaylya!
For more information visit:
JUTE: https://jute.com.au/dare-to-dream/
ArtsHub: https://www.artshub.com.au/news/features/good-things-happen-when-the-young-dare-to-dream-2635655
IndigeDesign Labs x MECCA Brands
IndigeDesign Labs recently undertook a design project with Australian cosmetic retailer, MECCA Brands.
This exciting design collaboration for MECCA’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan included a skills design workshop with MECCA’s Creative Services team held in Gimuy (Cairns).
MECCA spoke with with Jamaylya Ballangarry-Kearins, IndigeDesign Labs Coordinator, about the collaboration with MECCA and IndigeDesign Labs.
Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/gHFdf-xX
IndigeDesign Labs is a partnership between NorthSite Contemporary Arts and Aboriginal design agency ingeous studios led by Aboriginal graphic designer and digital creative Leigh Harris and assisted by Jamaylya Ballangarry-Kearins.
Image courtesy of IndigeDesign Labs.
Minister visits Exploring Giant Molecules
It was a pleasure to host Queensland’s Minister for the Arts the Hon. Leeanne Enoch MP last week at NorthSite Contemporary Arts. Acting Director, Hamish Sawyer, delivered a curators talk on Sandra Selig’s exhibition ‘Exploring Giant Molecules’. The exhibition is showing in the NorthSite gallery at Bulmba-ja until 17 June 2023.
‘Exploring Giant Molecules’ was developed by University of the Sunshine Coast Art Gallery in partnership with the UNSW. This project was supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
Sageraw Thonar on display at the Tableland Regional Gallery
Matilda Malujewel Nona, Araw Warul, 2016, linocut print on paper, 119 x 200.5 cm, edition of 12. Photo: Jon Linkins
Tableland Regional Council is hosting the travelling exhibition Sageraw Thonar — Stories from the Southeasterly Season: Contemporary Expressions of Cultural Knowledge from Badu Art Centre.
Sageraw Thonar was curated by NorthSite Contemporary Arts in partnership with Badu Art Centre, Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh (TSI) Corporation. The exhibition examines cultural traditions and knowledge through large-scale linocut prints.The works visually respond to the season of Sageraw Thonar in which the southeast winds blow. Animal totems, island flora, and current environmental and cultural issues are discussed in the works that reveal the artists’ most important stories.
NorthSite curator Aven Noah Jr. delivered a curators talk eariler this week at the Tableland Regional Gallery.
Image courtesy of NorthSite.
The exhibition is on display at the Tableland Regional Gallery from Thursday 23 March to Saturday 13 May.
Artists: Joseph Au, Aiona Tala Gaidan, Edmund Laza, Laurie Nona, Matilda Malujewel Nona, Michael Nona and Alick Tipoti.
More information: https://www.trc.qld.gov.au/services-and-facilities/galleries/#1623962939293-5d446a10-0bdd
Sageraw Thonar was curated by NorthSite Contemporary Arts (formally KickArts Contemporary Arts) in partnership with Badu Art Centre, Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh (TSI) Corporation. This project was supported through the Australian Government’s Indigenous Languages and Arts program and assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body. Additional support was from The Picture Framer and Black Square Arts. All prints are published by Badu Art Centre unless otherwise stated. NorthSite is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
International Women’s Day
This International Women’s Day we’re celebrating three women who are showcasing their incredible work in the NorthSite Gallery at Bulmba-ja: India Collins (Artist), Regi Cherini (Artist) and Tess Maunder (NorthSite Guest Curator).
India Collins is a Cairns-based artist specialising in woven sculptural forms and digital technology. She is also the Exhibition Manager for Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) and is currently part of the SITUATE Art in Festival programme. India has greatly contributed to the Far North Queensland arts community and is showcasing her exhibition in ‘e VULVA lution’ at NorthSite. You can get involved in her exhibition by sharing a personal story or contributing an item of pre-loved clothing. Visit www.northsite.org.au/e-vulva-lution/ for more information.
Regi Cherini is another Cairns-based artist who has embraced regional and remote northern Australia. Through her art practice, Regi is interested in challenging and undermining notions of imposed boundaries and hierarchies of creativity, raising embroidery out of the realm of craft and into that of fine art. Her exhibition Sweet Nostalgia is showing in the NorthSite gallery at Bulmba-ja until 11 March 2023.
Tess Maunder is a curator, writer and editor based in Melbourne. She has a decade of experience working in the cultural sector focusing on programming contemporary visual art practice. Tess has curated the exhibition ‘Planetary Gestures’ bringing together a range of artists who think deeply about alternative geographies. The exhibition was devised to explore ideas surrounding ecological systems, ancient knowledge, celestial blueprints and tidal movements across the land, sea and sky known as Australasia, part of the wider Asia-Pacific and the ‘Great Ocean’. Planetary Gestures is showing in the NorthSite gallery until 15 April 2023.
Happy IWD!
Media Event
This week we had the Hon. Leeanne Enoch MP, Michael Healy MP and CIAF Artistic Director Francoise Lane at NorthSite to announce the Palaszczuk government is investing an addition $1.6 million over 4 years to Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF). Congratulations CIAF!
NorthSite Acting Director, Hamish Sawyer, spent time with Leeanne Enoch MP, Michael Healy MP and Francoise Lane to talk about the artworks presented in the Bulmba-ja foyer by leading Far North Queensland artists.
We’re excited to once again be showcasing satellite exhibitions of CIAF 2023. Keep an eye out for more information about the exhibitions in the coming months.