Exhibition about historic controversy to tour regional SA
A new visual arts exhibition reflecting on the historic Hindmarsh Island bridge dispute embarks on a tour of regional South Australia next month.
Kumarangk: Exhibition arrives in Mount Gambier after being seen by over 2000 visitors during its launch at Adelaide Contemporary Experimental earlier this year.
The exhibition honours the Ngarrindjeri women protestors who resisted the building of the bridge from Goolwa to Hindmarsh Island in the 1990s.
For years the women faced an onslaught of attacks from within the media and politics for speaking truth on culture and Country.
Curated by Dominic Guerrera (Ngarrindjeri/Kaurna) with co-curator Jayda Wilson (Gugada/Wirangu), the exhibition showcases works from an incredible line-up of thirteen Ngarrindjeri women artists across generations and disciplines, telling the story from their perspective.
Sandra Saunders, Aunty Betty Sumner, Sonya Rankine, Carly Tarkari Dodd, Tiarnie Edwards, along with the Mardawi Collective (Aunty Ellen Trevorrow, Temeika Campbell, Zemiah Campbell, Debra Rankine, Elizabeth Rankine, Bessie Rigney, Stephanie Russell and Margi Sumner) have created an array of Ngarrindjeri weaving, soft sculpture, painting, text-based work, installation and ceramics, many of which are impressively large-scale.
The range includes Saunders’ original works from the time of the resistance, The Hindmarsh Island Collection, as well as a newly commissioned work reflecting on the past.
A chance to tell their story
“This exhibition is about the ongoing love and fight in Ngarrindjeri women’s circles,” Sandra said.
“It finally gives me and my sisters, as artists and activists, a chance to tell our story our way.
“Culture is important and heritage places of significance to Aboriginal people are important to every Australian.
“We celebrate the strong women who stood up and fought to protect heritage, even through the firestorm that surrounded them.”
Dominic Guerrera said the exhibition was a proud moment for him as a Ngarrindjeri person and artist.
“Kumarangk: Exhibition is an intergenerational love letter for Ngarrindjeri women, exploring the survival of culture and the resistance to the destructive forces of the colony,” Dominic said.
“From Tiarnie Edwards, who comes from a strong protest background and is the youngest person exhibiting, to Aunty Betty Sumner, who was inspired to complete unfinished weaving for this project, the works in this exhibition are not only huge in size, but in heart and history.”
Exhibition dates
Kumarangk: Exhibition will be at Mount Gambier’s Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre from August 29 to November 8, followed by Goolwa’s Signal Point Experience Centre and Lobethal’s Fabrik Arts in 2027, as well as Murray Bridge Regional Gallery in 2028.
An opening event will be held at the Riddoch on Friday, August 28 from 6pm, with artist talks and workshops scheduled across the opening weekend.
The exhibition is the first outcome of the Kumarangk project, which will also include a documentary film, theatre performance and community archive, all produced by Country Arts SA.
For more information, visit www.countryarts.org.au/events/kumarangk-exhibition.
