Seven New Exhibitions Launch Autumn Season at Maitland Regional Art Gallery

Maitland Regional Art Gallery is excited to open seven new exhibitions for the Autumn season, featuring work by significant artists and local students, with a launch event open to the public this Friday 25 March.

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The highlight of the seven exhibitions is Daughter of the Lightning Snake, which showcases 30 works by leading Yolŋu artist Noŋgirrŋa Marawili, on display in the Lower Hunter for the first time at Maitland.

Based in a small town in east Arnhem Land, Marawili is widely regarded as one of the most important artists in Australia today. Her works are held in the collections of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Contemporary Art, and National Gallery of Australia.

This is the first time this collection has been shown outside of Sydney in New South Wales, and is a fantastic opportunity for locals to engage with leading First Nations art.

Audiences will also be able to experience Maitland Cultural Resurgence, a project that brings together Aboriginal cultural knowledge holders with school students in the production of possum skin cloaks and large-scale woven sculptures.

Wonnarua Elders, an exhibition of paintings by the Wonnarua Elders Painting Group, celebrates the ceremony of connectivity and cultural strength in Maitland.

Another must see highlight is the ambitious solo exhibition Oh, Canola! by Catalan born and Hunter based artist Dani Marti, who has transformed the gallery with colour and light.

Other exhibitions include the Hunter’s own Young Archie, with 66 works by students from 11 local schools inspired by the recent visit of the Archibald Prize, Of This Place by Newcastle artist Alysha Fewster, and the collection of Ildiko Kovacs, recently donated to the Gallery.

Gallery Director Gerry Bobsien says that bringing culturally significant work to Maitland is important for the city.

‘We’re excited to be launching our Autumn season with such a dynamic program of exhibitions that celebrate our local and national culture,’ Bobsien says.

‘The exhibitions visiting the Gallery over the coming months are a fantastic blend of projects that have cultural significance on so many levels: from the nationally significant work of Noŋgirrŋa Marawili to the locally significant work of the Maitland Cultural Resurgence and Wonnarua Elders.

‘Friday night’s launch will be an opportunity for the community to come out and celebrate the cultural vibrancy of Maitland, and we encourage anyone and everyone who might be interested to come along and enjoy what the Gallery has to offer.’

All exhibitions are free, and the Autumn season launch event is this Friday 25 March from 5.30pm at Maitland Regional Art Gallery. All are welcome, but you must register in advance at mait.city/autumnlaunch.

For more information, please visit mrag.org.au/whats-on.