First Nations art to take pride of place in Newcastle Art Gallery

First Nations culture will be celebrated at the heart of the expanded Newcastle Art Gallery following the acquisition of a significant work of art by internationally acclaimed Quandamooka artist Megan Cope.

Generously donated by the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation, Kinyingarra Guwinyanba (Off Country) features 44 poles adorned with a bouquet of rock oyster shells, which will be suspended within the new central atrium of the Gallery and be visible from the ground and first floors.

Artist Megan CopeEach pole is approximately two metres long and shaped from cypress pine, which has been collected by the artist and Quandamooka community collaborators from Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island).

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes thanked the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation for the culturally important work of art, which is expected to attract international interest.

"Newcastle Art Gallery is dedicated to honouring the culture and traditions of our First Nations communities, so it's fitting that such a significant work of art will fill the atrium of our expanded Gallery,” Cr Nelmes said.

“In recent years, Megan has exhibited across the globe at major exhibitions and institutions in cities including Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Milan, and Quebec.

“We’re thrilled to become the custodian of Megan’s world-renowned creativity and passion through this generous donation from the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation, who continue to play a valuable role in supporting the Gallery, its expansion and the growth of its collection.”  

Chair Suzie Galwey said the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation is incredibly proud to present a major artwork by Indigenous artist Megan Cope to the Gallery Collection.

"Members and supporters of the Foundation are eagerly anticipating this important work being added to the gallery’s already nationally acclaimed collection," Ms Galwey said.

This gift is in addition to the Foundations’ $13-million philanthropic fundraising goal for the building expansion.

"We would like to take this opportunity to encourage the community to be part of the story and join us in our final fundraising push to bring this long-awaited cultural asset to completion,” Ms Galwey said.

Kinyingarra Guwinyanba, meaning 'place of oyster rocks' in Jandai and Gowar language, is part of Megan Cope’s ongoing project of on-and-off-Country oyster-shell based sculptures, which investigate the impact of the early colonial lime-burning industry and devastation of both Aboriginal middens and oyster reefs in Quandamooka Sea Country.

Kinyingarra Guwinyanba (Off Country)Empty oyster shells are attached to marine-resistant wood poles planted in intertidal zones to help propagate new oyster reefs, which themselves are living sculptures and an ancestral technology.

Megan Cope said Kinyingarra Guwinyanba is a project she started in 2022 on her traditional Country.

"Kinyingarra Guwinyanba is a living, generative land and sea artwork that demonstrates how art can physically heal country that has been colonised through the practice of ecologically restorative and ancestral processes," Ms Cope said.

"By suspending the sculpture in the Gallery, I hope it will help us connect with the two worlds of the intertidal zone, to that feeling of being buoyant when swimming and being able to see both above and below.”

Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM said Newcastle Art Gallery was also looking forward to welcoming Megan back to Newcastle later this month as part of City of Newcastle’s New Annual festival.

Megan is working with the Gallery to present Ngumpi Kinyingarra Oyster House, a site-specific socially engaged project designed with the University of Newcastle’s Architecture students that will take place in a custom-built temporary structure at Honeysuckle Marina from 27 September to 6 October.

“It is an honour to not only acquire Megan’s incredible work of art into our Gallery’s nationally significant collection, but to also partner with her on our New Annual locally based participatory project celebrating local oysters, collaboration and environmental stewardship,” Ms Morton said.

"Kinyingarra Guwinyanba (Off Country) 2022 will be suspended in the 11-metre-high central atrium - essentially in the 'heart' of our reimagined Art Gallery. Beyond its evident artistic merit, it strongly signals the Gallery's commitment to support First Nations artists, works of scale and artists of calibre.

"While the Gallery has strong representation of First Nations paintings and works on paper, this represents a significant addition to the Gallery's holdings of sculpture by First Nations artists. Moreover, it aligns with the Gallery's ambitions to support living artists. 

"We are incredibly grateful to the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation for their continued generosity in support of our Art Gallery."

The Newcastle Art Gallery expansion project is supported by $5 million from the Australian Government under the Regional Recovery Partnerships and $5 million from the New South Wales Government under the Regional Recovery Package, as well as $12 million from the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation made possible through the Valerie and John Ryan bequest, Margaret Olley Trust, and community fundraising over many years.

A further $1 million is currently being sought through the Foundation's public fundraising campaign.