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.
New creative space
You may have heard the buzz… NorthSite and our friends at InkMasters are excited to have been through a process of transition recently, with the handing over of the baton!
NorthSite is commencing operations of NorthSite Art Studios, 55 Greenslopes Street, Edge Hill.
This phenomenal workshop space was managed by InkMasters recently and operated as Djumbunji Press KickArts Fine Art Printmaking 2009 – 2012.
We’re aware we have huge shoes to fill in terms of the extraordinary work that the InkMasters committee have achieved for printmaking in the region over the past decade, but we’re also aware of the huge potential of the site for the far north community of artists.
We want to hear from you. Tell us your experiences and aspirations and if you have a burning idea for a creative workshop you’d like to deliver or participate in – let us know by filling in the survey here.
Yours in art – Team NorthSite
Read more in Tropic Magazine: Click here
Illuminate FNQ Indigenous Science Festival
NorthSite recently partnered to support an Art Science Talk event for the inaugural illuminate FNQ Indigenous Science Festival.
The exhibition, Yuk Wuy Min Nguntamp, by Keith Wikmunea and Heather Koowootha produced by NorthSite in collaboration with Wik and Kugu Art Centre was included in the Friday activities of the Illuminate program. Heather Koowootha provided an extremely insightful explanation of her paintings of plants and natural resources that embody deep Wik cultural knowledge.
If you are interested in hearing more about this exciting new festival that drew scientists from across the world to Cairns and celebrated local ancient knowledge systems, check out the link to their wrap-up video, produced by artist and volunteer illuminate FNQ Board Director Dr. Jenny Fraser.
For more information about illuminate FNQ Indigenous Science Festival visit: https://illuminatefnq.org/home/
In other news, Dr Jenny Fraser has recently been awarded the prestigious 2022 Australia Council Award for Emerging and Experimental Arts! Congratulations Jenny!
Dr Jenny Fraser – Australia Council Award for Emerging & Experimental Arts
SUPERCUT x Robert Tommy Pau
In July 2022, Robert Tommy Pau’s artwork, titled ‘Time‘, was presented on a billboard along the Bruce Highway as part of NorthSite’s partnership with Outer Space for the SUPERCUT program.
“NorthSite has been delighted to partner with Outer Space for SUPERCUT which has created new opportunities for regional artists to showcase their artwork to a wider audience”, said NorthSite’s Artistic Director/ CEO Ashleigh Campbell.
This artwork tells an important story in past and modern history for the Torres Strait Islanders, reflecting on two different points in time and showcasing the vast contrast between these timelines.
“1871 is a point in time where Islanders refers to Coming of the Light. This is a very profound statement as it is a demarcation between their past history and modern history.” said Robert Tommy Pau
Tommy is a descendant of the Eastern Torres Strait Islands, Australian Aboriginal, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Islander and Asia. He speaks Torres Strait Creole and Australian English. He was taught about the need to keep culture strong through cultural practice by his father. He has a strong commitment to keeping old traditions alive and believes that culture must remain true to the past and move with time to exist in the future. Tommy has considerable experience in the arts and his art forms of choice include printmaking, painting and sculpture.
Billboard location: Bruce Highway, 3.2km west of Bundaberg Airport on Isis Highway
Outbound, Bundaberg, Queensland.
For more information visit: https://www.outerspacebrisbane.org/program/supercut-robert-tommy-pau
Billboard documentation by Sabrina Lauriston
Robert Tommy Pau, Time, 2021, linocut on somerset velvet white 300gsm 100% cotton, 59.5 78.5cm
Billboard documentation by Sabrina Lauriston
SUPERCUT is supported by the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government Initiative and is presented in partnership with Artspace Mackay and NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns.
2023 — 2024 Program Call Out
NorthSite is a leading contemporary art gallery working with over 300 artists each year to deliver exhibitions and programs to the Cairns region and beyond. In 2021 NorthSite delivered over 20 exhibitions and over 100 programs. The NorthSite team have extensive knowledge and connections within the arts industry to support artists achieve their goals wherever possible.
Applications for our 2023 — 2024 exhibitions and programs are now open. We welcome emerging and established artists to express their interest in our 2023 — 2024 program call-out.
Open: Monday, 8 August 2022
Deadline: Monday, 26 September 2022
NorthSite x WOW Cairns
WOW Cairns 2022 was a huge success providing a strong local program that heard the voices of many women through entertaining and conversation-provoking events. In the lead up to WOW Cairns, held at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre from Friday 13 to Saturday 14 May 2022, NorthSite assisted in the development of 2 spectacular exhibitions which will be running until June 2022.
The WOW Cairns Women’s Show is a celebration of women painters from across Far North Queensland curated especially for WOW Australia by NorthSite. The exhibition features the work of Janet Koongoteema, Jean Walmbeng, Julie Poulsen, Margaret Upton, Maharlina Gorospe-Lockie, Hannah Murray, Anne Nunn, Betty Sykes, Lenore Howard, Agnes Wotton, Claudine Marzik, Netta Loogatha, Nickeema Williams, Kim Marsden, Bernice Burke, Hannah Parker, Philomena Yeatman, Paula Savage, Laurel McKenzie, Fiona Elisala-Mosby, Matilda Aidan, India Collins, Tia Adoberg, Matilda Nona, Caroline Mudge, Tamika Grant-Iramu, DOULA, Margaret Mara, Rhonda Woolla, Melissa Waters, Delissa Walker and Mersene Loban. This exhibition is showing until 25 June 2022.
Gathering is a culture-based community collaboration, led by leading local artists Elverina Johnson of Paperbark Arts and Francoise Lane of Indij Design. During WOW Cairns the artwork was built upon with themes inspired by the waterways weaving through Country; nurturing and sustaining life. The final sculptural form which looks like a paperbark bulmba is currently on display within NorthSite at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre.
WOW Cairns Women’s Show
Gathering
Gathering event
Ceramicist Kim Nolan is selected for Unleashed 2022
Congratulations to Kewarra Beach-based artist Kim Nolan who will be exhibiting work in Unleashed 2022 at Artisan, the home of Queensland Craft and Design, situated in Bowen Hills, Brisbane.
Unleashed is a longstanding biennial exhibition project, drawing together a select cohort of early-career Queensland craft and design practitioners and launching their careers. Exploring the convergence between craft and design, Unleashed has been instrumental in launching some of our state’s best talent.
Kim Nolan and 5 other leading craftspeople from Far North Queensland were nominated by Lauren Carter (Retail Manager, NorthSite Contemporary Arts) and Kim’s work was selected through a process with institutional partners from across Queensland.
The panel comprised of:
Ruth Della, Curator, HOTA (Home of The Arts)
Megan Williams manager, University of Southern Queensland Art Gallery
Cassandra Lehman, curator, artisan
Ashleigh Campbell, Director, NorthSite Contemporary Arts
Tracey Heathwood, Director, Artspace Mackay
Dr Beata Batorowicz, Associate Professor, School of Creative Arts, University of Southern Queensland
Kim Nolan will now be exhibiting new artworks in this year’s exhibition, alongside Chris Miller and Lisa Kajewski STUDIOFLEK – Gold Coast, Dan Watson – Sunshine Coast, Ellie Coleman – Toowoomba, Hailey Atkins – Brisbane, Kim Nolan – Cairns, Kate Harding – Mackay.
Unleashed 2022: Fresh Meet from 11 June – 20 August 2022 in Artisan’s Main Gallery and Small Object Space.
Snap up a few of Kim’s ceramics in the NorthSite Store before she is discovered by southern design friends.
NorthSite x SITUATE 22-23 | Lab 2
In May 2022, NorthSite Director Ashleigh Campbell ventured to lutruwita/Tasmania with Queensland artist India Collins and the cohort of Australian artists, provocateurs and partner organizations for part 2 of the Situate 22-23 program.
Ashleigh and India met with producers, examining festival models and modes of production and worked through the development of a major new work by India Collins.
“SITUATE 22-23 is a program dedicated to the creation of ambitious work by regionally based emerging and mid-career artists within the context of social engagement. It prioritises artistic excellence while also ensuring that the process and outcomes benefit both artists and communities alike.”
Following the intensive week of Lab sessions, India pitched her concept to mentors, peers, festival producers and provocateurs. Her presentation was met with wide buy-in and enthusiasm for the project concept.
NorthSite is looking forward to supporting India through this next phase of research and development.
“It’s been so incredible to have this time and support. I feel so grateful. It’s been such a journey. I’m feeling confident about my idea and I’m really looking forward to realizing this work over the coming years.
I’m ready for the consultation now and the marathon of making. I’m committed to that process… which is going to be major, the time commitment to a woven work of this scale has been bit of a deterrent previously, but now I’m ready!
Situate is such a great program and it’s such an exciting opportunity to be part of this and to be able to see all these artists’ ideas come to fruition.”India Collins
