Colourful canoe to launch NAIDOC Celebrations at the Gallery

An outrigger canoe illustrated with intricately hand-painted Indigenous art will make a splash at Noosa Regional Gallery this July, in celebration of NAIDOC Week.

Nandjimadji Art Group, a collective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists living with a disability, produced the impressive piece.

Meaning ‘to lighten the load’, Nandjimadji artists meet regularly on the Sunshine Coast to paint, create and ‘yarn’ together.

“I am excited about the brightly painted outrigger canoe coming to the Gallery as it is not every day that you see sport and art combined in the same space, let alone as a collaborative project,” says Nina Shadforth, Gallery Director.

The canoe will feature amongst some of the group’s other works, alongside a solo show of paintings by local indigenous artist Hope O’Chin. There will also be a small group exhibition of traditional paintings by artists in the Red Desert Gatherings Art Group, from Alice Springs (established by Steps Group Australia).

Ms Shadforth said the Gallery would host an artist talk with Hope O’Chin as part of the Gallery’s ‘Coffee & Conversation’ series, on Wednesday 27 July at 11am.

The official opening for these exhibitions, to take place at 6pm, Friday 1 July at Noosa Regional Gallery, Tewantin, is free and open to the public.

Works will be on show until Sunday August 21, 2016. Entry to the Gallery is free.

Find Noosa Regional Gallery on Facebook for the July/August Public Program, or visit the website for more information.

24 June 2016