Coomaditchie: The Art of Place
Experience community life by the ocean through the works of First Nations artists in Coomaditchie: The Art of Place at the Museum of Sydney. These loving and lyrical artworks, which include paintings, ceramics and screen-prints, speak of life in and around the settlement of Coomaditchie, its history, ecology and local Dreaming stories.
The exhibition celebrates the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation in 1993. The corporation provides support and services to the broader community and to the people of the Coomaditchie settlement, located at Coomaditchie Lagoon in the city of Wollongong, the centre of the Illawarra region of NSW. Also on display are original historical documents and a short film that reveal the social and political narrative of the founding of the current Coomaditchie settlement, which followed a long campaign for housing for local Aboriginal people.
Today, the work of the Coomaditchie artists can be found all over the Illawarra – in community spaces, buildings, landscapes, streets and galleries. A selection of photographs shows the depth and the beauty of their contributions to the public art landscape. This timely exhibition offers a glimpse into the political, social and artistic activities of a very special place.
Museum of Sydney
Corner Phillip and Bridge streets, Sydney NSW 2000- Cafe
- Wheelchair accessible
30 March 2024 – 2 February 2025
Read more
Resource
Understanding the Art of Place
Discover how we can understand and connect to place through art, and consider how a place can mean different things to different people
First Nations
Coomaditchie: The Art of Place
The works of the Coomaditchie artists speak of life in and around the settlement of Coomaditchie, its history, ecology and local Dreaming stories
First Nations
Coomaditchie: Of place
These works record the extraordinary arc the artists of Coomaditchie have travelled over more than three decades
First Nations
Coomaditchie: Lagoon stories
These panels detail the ecological life in and around Coomaditchie Lagoon
The fight for Coomaditchie
Listen to audio recordings and read transcripts of selected letters held in the State Archives Collection
Coomaditchie: The Art of Place is based on the exhibition commissioned by Wollongong Art Gallery in 2023.
