Ceremony: An exhibition of artworks by senior Aboriginal men

Regular visitors to Hurstville Museum & Gallery will recall our 2012 show Strong Women Strong Painting Strong Culture: Indigenous Women's Art of the Central and Western Deserts from the Sims Dickson Collection, a nationally touring exhibition from Cessnock Regional Gallery that explored the roles of desert women as custodians of cultural traditions and family life, community leaders, and artists. It featured works by a range of artists including Ruby Williamson, Tjampawa Kawiny and Yangi Yangi Fox, and was one of the first exhibitions to have brought together works by women artists of the Central and Western desert regions.

Given the success of this show, we are pleased to announce a second partnership with Deborah Sims and Matt Dickson in Ceremony: An exhibition of artworks by senior Aboriginal men. This exhibition of brings together paintings and 3D works, demonstrating the ceremonial knowledge associated with creation stories, body markings used in ceremonies, and the mythic landscapes inhabited by creation beings. Artists include Dickie Minyintiri, Fred Untjima Forbes, Hector Tjupuru Burton and Tiger Palpatja.

This colourful, innovative and profound show includes work from desert artists, from the Kimberley and Darwin areas, and a selection of historic men's Papunya Tula works. The artwork is sourced from Aboriginal-owned and run arts centres, which co-curator Deborah Sims describes as "crucial drivers of cultural renewal … and often the only viable economic enterprise in remote communities."

Don't miss Ceremony: An exhibition of artworks by senior Aboriginal men. On show at Hurstville Museum & Gallery from 20 April - 14 July 2013.

Hurstville Museum & Gallery
14 MacMahon Street, Hurstville
(02) 9330 6444

"The Stories, the Truth and the Law are in the earth and the heavens…. This land was here from the beginning of time, and we Aboriginal men are its custodians."

- Fred Untjima Forbes