We revisited the Maitland Regional Art Gallery in late May 2023 and were lucky to catch two great exhibitions in their last days. It’s not often that we get to see Torres Strait art displayed in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia, this was a great opportunity.
Mir Giz Kemerkemer Opged Lam Zenadh Kes (Stories From the Eastern Islands – Torres Strait) by Toby Cedar
18 March – 28 May 2023
As a Torres Strait Islander and now Maitland local, artist Toby Cedar finds deep connection between art, community and culture. This exhibition presented works celebrating Eastern island culture with both traditional and contemporary art forms. The works covered traditional histories of masks, headdresses, myths and legends.
Outrigger Canoe by Toby CedarNete Ka Nali (Who am I) by Toby CedarNete Ka Nali (Who am I) by Toby CedarToby CedarNete Ka Nali (Who am I) by Toby CedarNete Ka Nali (Who am I) by Toby Cedar
Tjukurpa by Rita Watson and Selinda Davidson
4 March – 28 May 2023
This exhibition is the result of a collaborative glass project between Ninuku Arts (community of First Nations Artists) and JamFactory (South Australia). A unique form of storytelling, these works not only share the stories of each artist but have also become a valued part of intergenerational learning at Ninuku.
This exhibition brings together the artworks of Rita Watson and Selinda Davidson with glass vessels as contemporary translations of their ancestral stories.
Tjukurpa by Rita Watson and Selinda DavidsonTjukurpa by Rita Watson and Selinda Davidson
The Art Gallery of NSW new North Building displays contemporary art, with an emphasis on Indigenous Australian art. The building reflects this with bright well lit rooms and colourful displays. A highlight is the use of its basement, an old storage tank as a display space.
Getting There
Located, to the north of the original Art Gallery (now the South Building), it’s walkable from the Sydney CBD. We used the train from Central Station, getting off at St. James and walking, although buses can also be used. If you drive, the Domain carpark would be the closest option.
Arriving before opening time, we took some photos of the giant sculptures outside and then had a coffee at the café opposite the entrance.
Inside
With four levels, there is plenty of space to display artworks. The ground floor has an amazing display of Indigenous art and its great that this is the first gallery you see on entering. Previously displayed at the South Building the collection now has pride of place at the entrance.
The next two levels down display a series of contemporary art in addition to having access to outside galleries. Here we found an amazing flower sculpture, as well as a Buddhist Temple.
Lower Level 4 – The Tank
The highlight though was The Tank. Level 4 used to be an underground oil storage tank, but has been repurposed as an art space. Access is via a spiral staircase, which you descend into increasing darkness. Left deliberately dark, with the original columns still in place, it’s eerie, with lights moving on the ceiling, slowly brightening and dimming to highlight the sculptures there.
Before entering, you are warned that the area is dark and claustrophobic, so that you know what to expect. Numerous staff patrol the space, ensuring everyone obeys the rules (no flash photos) and remains safe.
We loved it, the sculptures were unworldly and the empty spaces and columns eerie.
Here Comes Everybody by Francis UpritchardHere Comes Everybody by Francis UpritchardLevel 1Untitled by Frank StellaKu (dogs)Seven Sisters by Nyunmiti BurtonDhamala Story by David Malangi DaymirringuDeath Zephyr by Yhonnie ScarceJapan Supernatural: Vertiginous After Staring at the Empty World Too Intensely, I Found Myself Trapped in the Realm of Lurking Ghosts and Monsters by Takashi Murakami Banners From The Lot by Eko NugrohoThree Paintings by John Prince Siddonby Ramesh Mario NithiyendranAntara by Betty Kuntiwa PumaniGuts (2022) by Samara GoldenFlowers that Bloom in the Cosmos by Yayoi KusamaSculpture GardenThe End of Imagination by Adrian Villar RojasThe End of Imagination by Adrian Villar RojasThe TankIn the Tank – The End of Imagination by Adrian Villar RojasThe End of Imagination by Adrian Villar RojasThe End of Imagination by Adrian Villar Rojas
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Housing the Port Macquarie Theatre, Regional Art Gallery and Visitor Information Centre, the Glasshouse Arts and Visitor Centre is a great place to visit, because not only does it have these things, but there are ruins in the basement!
If you want to find out what to see and do, or find accommodation, this is the place to go. The staff are super friendly and helpful and do their best to help you out.
In the basement, original foundations from the previous building in the area have been preserved. Other artifacts found during excavation are also on display.
Displayed in the foyer are PK Sparkles and Lady Lola the Dancing Koala from the Hello Koala Sculpture Trail. If you’re following the trail to see the koalas you get to see two in one location.
Behind the koalas the Regional Art Gallery had some interesting artworks on display. They feature a range of contemporary, indigenous, historical, traditional, design and sculptural artworks. During the course of the year, they rotate up to 20 exhibitions through the gallery, including touring exhibitions.
PK SparklesLady Lola the Dancing KoalaBotanical Hue Extraction by Edi ClelandLife’s Many Vicissitudes by Olivia CotovichBlended by Abbey MunroeConnecting with Country by Sonia Shields and Where are we Now by Katrina ManeThe Origin of the World by Minka GillianMother Eagles Going Hunting by Iluwante Ken
