NAIDOC Week celebrations

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, which runs from Sunday 2 July to Sunday 9 July this year, Council is presenting a range of arts exhibitions that showcase the culture and creativity of diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, groups and Elders.

Mayor of Maroondah, Councillor Rob Steane OAM, encouraged the community to experience the exhibitions.

“These exhibitions are a wonderful display of history, culture and achievements by First Nations artists, whose works are often filled with spiritual meanings and also express knowledge and beliefs that have helped influence the wider community’s laws, ceremonies and daily lives,” Cr Steane said.

“I encourage everyone to view the range of artworks and celebrate the creativity of First Nations artists.” 

Maroondah Federation Estate Gallery, Ringwood

This multi-disciplinary, open call exhibition is presented by Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place and Arts in Maroondah.

It embraces the extraordinary range, scope and talent of artists within the Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place community and celebrates the oldest culture in the world, combining traditional art practices passed down for over 60,000 years with modern materials and techniques.

The exhibition will be presented from Monday 3 July to Friday 1 September, with a special launch event during NAIDOC Week on Thursday 6 July from 6pm to 8pm.

Wyreena Arts Lounge, Croydon

The Arts Lounge at Wyreena Community Arts Centre is featuring works by Tricia "Vandal" Van Der-Kuyp, a proud Wiradjuri woman and Melbourne-based artist (Bundadhaany).

Vandal’s works, titled Bundang, will be on display until Saturday 12 August. The exhibition takes its name from the Wiradjuri word for a black-ish butterfly and tells a story through reflection. It questions what cultural identity is and how it is shaped.

A mixed media artist with a focus on flora and fauna, Vandal has created augmented reality artwork and large-scale public artworks in and around Melbourne. She was chosen in 2019 as one of eight Victorian artists to have her artwork displayed on a Melbourne Art Tram. She has also produced artworks that appear on community art trails around Victoria and as pop-up murals.  

Realm, Ringwood

Two major arts projects, the From our Elders video installation and large-scale portraits of Elders Aunty Irene Norman and Aunty Daphne Milward, are continuing at Realm, Ringwood.

These projects launched in May as part of

From our Elders is a video installation created by Narungga/Kaurna and Trawoolwaway multimedia artist Daen Sansbury-Smith and his production company Blak Crow.

Daen has created a video installation from a series of interviews with Wurundjeri, Arrernte, Gunditjamara, Mutti Mutti, Narungga, Palawa, Wailwan, and Yorta Yorta Elders including Elders from Ringwood’s Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place. The installation includes video footage of the Country where the Elders are from and cultural displays of tools and weaving presented by Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place.

On the windows of Realm, Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place artist Amanda Wright has created a striking double portrait depicting Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place Elders Aunty Irene Norman and Aunty Daphne Milward.

Two special Urban Art Tours, on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 July, will showcase Aboriginal Arts and Culture through exhibitions and public art in the Ringwood arts precinct.

Commencing at Realm, Ringwood, the tours include an overview of exhibitions at Realm and then proceed to Maroondah Federation Estate while taking in key public artworks along the way.

The tours will feature a special guest nominated from Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place and highlight the visibility of nationally and internationally recognised artists who have produced work in the heart of the Ringwood arts precinct.

Numbers are strictly limited to a maximum of 20.

NAIDOC Week is celebrated each year throughout Australia in early July. It recognises the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and to celebrate the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.