IN the wake of a year of astonishing rainfall and flooding throughout the Murray River region, First Nations artists have responded through traditional artwork.
The Milloo Dreaming exhibition, which opens on Friday evening at the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery, showcases the talents of local Indigenous artists, with traditional weaving, drawings, paintings, sculptures, ceramics, historical artefacts and photography on display.
“This exhibition will allow us to reflect on the deep connections between our First Nations people and the extensive network of rivers, creeks, billabongs, lakes and floodplains,” gallery director Ian Tully said.
“Milloo Dreaming will also feature historical photographs and artefacts borrowed from the Melbourne Museum – three pieces that originated from the Swan Hill region.”
Uncle Ricky Kirby, who helped curate Milloo Dreaming, told The Guardian he was eager to see the exhibition come together.
“I get excited when I see really good, young artists and their artwork, and knowing that the next generation is in good hands and it continues on,” he said.
“If the average person off the street comes down to the gallery and finds and piece of artwork and reads the name on it, I guarantee you they will say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know they were an artist’ – it’ll surprise them.”
While Mr Kirby won’t have any of his own artwork in the exhibition this year, he said it was just exciting to be able to curate the collection.
“It’s a part of our history, and I don’t mean just Indigenous history, it’s non-Indigenous history too,” he said.
“I’d like to encourage everyone to come down here to the gallery and check it out.”
Milloo Dreaming opens from 6pm at the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery. It will include a welcome to country by Aunty Stephanie Charles and Uncle Ricky, and will feature a performance by the Wiran Dance Group.
The exhibition will run until July 30.
For more information, call the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery on 5036 2430.
