Heart of Country: New Works from West Cape York

Wei’Num (we num) – this word embodies the amalgamation of the experiences of the peoples of the Western Cape Region covering the areas of Weipa, Mapoon and Naprunam. The artists of Wei’Num present a pictorial departure perhaps associated with Australian Indigenous Artmaking entirely due to the fractured and traumatic history of the stolen generations of peoples of Mapoon and Napranum.

The stories of these artists are the retelling of history, the creation of new traditions, of being adopted onto country and the affirmation of the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. These are contemporary stories of mixed nations forcefully brought together and of moving forward without forgetting the past. Uncompromisingly the artists are defining their own aesthetic of contemporary Indigenous Art and redefining what Heart of Country means in the Western Cape.

The exhibition presents around 60 recent works across primarily painting and print-making by artists Margaret Mara, Daphne de Jersey, Zoe de Jersey, Marsha Hall, Sandra Ase and Samantha Laifoo. Artists Margaret Mara and Sandra Ase will be present at the exhibition to celebrate their first group exhibition in 5 years.