Naidoc Week is on this month from November 8-15 – and what better way to celebrate than by taking in these two amazing exhibitions at Wollongong Art Gallery.
COOMADITCHIE: KEEPING CULTURE ALIVE
Opened October 30, on show until March 21
Curated by Lorraine Brown, Narelle Thomas and Kristy Thomas, this exhibition brings together three generations of artists.
At its heart are two sisters: premier artists Lorraine Brown and Narelle Thomas, renowned for using art to tell stories, share knowledge and promote an understanding of Aboriginal culture.
Over the past three decades, their public art has featured on schools, buildings and meeting places in Port Kembla, and at the Hub at Kemblawarra Community Hall, the sisters pass on knowledge and painting skills.
The Coomaditchie exhibition also features works by two of Lorraine’s sons – Shane and Derecke Brown, and Derecke’s partner, painter Allison Day, also a skilled weaver and potter – as well as her eldest grandson, Tynan Lenihan, and two granddaughters, Jessica Mook-Brown and Meahala Langlo-Brown.
“Culture honours our ancestral ties – Culture tells us where we come from and tells us who we are. Culture reminds us of who we are connected to and that we are part of the oldest living cultures in the world. For these reasons it is really important to keep Culture Alive.” – These are the thoughts of Lorraine Brown and Narelle Thomas the Elders, founders and premier artists of Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation.
Events include Yarn Up on Wednesday, 4 November, 1-2pm, a chance to engage with the artists and learn more about their stories and art practices.
