Exhibition gives stage First Nations male artists

AS the one-year anniversary of the opening of First Nations gallery space Djaa Djuwima approaches, a new exhibition showcasing the works of First Nations men, brotherboys, and youth has been unveiled.

The exhibition, titled Strength in Stories: This is what we do, comprises a mix of traditional and contemporary art forms including painting, woodwork, and digital photography.

Painter and Wakka Wakka man Paul Chapman contributed two works to the show, which he said he first thought was a terrible idea.

“My artwork is a story, it’s not a pretty picture but it tells a continuous story about the journey of spirit and creation,” he said.

Chapman said his frustration came from people viewing his work ascetically without knowing the stories that it represents.

“We’re not out there, we haven’t been given a stage to be on,” Chapman said.

Curated by First Nations Bendigo Venue and Events officer Janet Bromely, Strength in Stories: This is what we do, aims to provide that stage, giving the artists space to tell the stories of their art.

Ms Bromley said as First Nations men in the region were not often seen in art, so exhibitions such as this one were important way to encourage younger generations to create.

“This is an opportunity for those people in the gallery space to say to young people ‘this is okay to this’, it’s okay to do traditional things and it’s also okay to do digital art or any other sort of art,” she said.

Other artists featured in the show include Taungurang man Michael Harding, who creates traditional woodwork, and Bardi Jawi man Justin Sampi who paints landscapes to re-connect to country.

“We’ve lost in a way connections, family connections, connections to traditional things we do,” Ms Bromley said.

“What these men are doing is digging themselves out of the past.”

Strength in stories: This is what we do will be open to the public at the Djaa Djuwima gallery in the Bendigo visitors centre until 22 January.