Aboriginal Exhibitions – Collection Highlights 2018
October 6, 2018 – January 14, 2019
Curated by Jamie Ivan Durrant
Opening to the public October 6, the Aboriginal Exhibitions – Collection Highlights 2018 exhibition will be an exploration of some of the more rare and individual pieces within the Hans Sip Collection.
Artists including Dennis Nelson Tjakamarra, Russell Butler, John Cummins, and Gabriella Possum Nungurrayirepresent the diversity of works within the exhibition. Together, they reflect the considered approach of gallery Director Hans Sip in building the collection—guided by emotionally resonant narratives, technical excellence, and the inherent beauty of design and form.
Artefacts and sculptures are integral to the exhibition, including ceremonial shields, boomerangs, coolamons, and wood carvings. These objects expand the presentation from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional experience, with natural ochre tones, native timbers, and fibres enriching the gallery space and reinforcing strong connections to Country and cultural practice.
Large-scale paintings by acclaimed artists such as Kudditji Kngwarreye and John Cummins provide visual impact and dramatic presence. In contrast, the intricate detail and vibrant colour of Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi’s storytelling compositions—mapping stars, galaxies, and Country—invite close engagement and reflection on the deeper messages embedded within the works. Artists previously exhibited in 2017, including Trevor Brown (Turbo) and Craig Charles, return with works not previously seen.
Paintings of lighter visual tone carry powerful cultural narratives, sitting in dialogue with a richly diverse collection of works by artists from across Australia. Aboriginal Exhibitions – Collection Highlights 2018 offers rare insight into the thousands of years of Aboriginal cultural knowledge, storytelling, and artistic tradition passed down through generations. United by a shared respect for Country within their individual nations, the artists collectively trace a journey from historical reference to contemporary expression—connecting the old with the new and affirming the enduring strength of Aboriginal art today.
