You & Me

UMI Arts will launch its 2023 season of exhibitions on Friday 10 March 2023 with the official opening of member showcase, You & Me.

UMI Arts has issued a community wide invitation to attend the free opening event from 6pm at UMI Arts Gallery in Manoora. The exhibitions runs until 5 May 2023.

Featuring a curated selection of 26 works in various styles and mediums, You & Me represents 14 emerging and established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from Yarrabah to the Cape and Torres Strait.

UMI Arts Exhibition Officer Robyne

Pacey said this year’s exhibition presents an interesting and diverse collection from painting on canvas, prints on paper to ceramics, weaving, and two multimedia sculptures.

“You & Me is an exhibition that really demonstrates the distinct and diverse arts and culture of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and in so doing, encapsulates the UMI Arts’ mission and philosophy which is about providing support and pathways to a platform for presentation, promotion and beyond.

“I am particularly proud of this year’s exhibition. The quality of work is outstanding, and I urge anyone interested in expanding their collection or investing in their very first piece of Indigenous art to come along.

“While many of our participating artists do not live locally, we will be hosting a small group at our launch event this month. When artists talk about their artwork and share culture and stories with visitors and guests, a much deeper meaning and appreciation is experienced,” Ms Pacey said.

Noteworthy:

• Michelle Weare, an experienced and popular jewellery maker in Cairns has been experimenting with acrylic pour paintings.

• UMI Arts is pleased to be exhibiting several artists from the NPA Art Centre, some of which are older members returning and newcomers.

• Once again UMI Arts is representing artists from Yarrabah Art Centre whose work (painting, ceramic, printmaking, and weaving) is becoming extremely sophisticated.

• Rhys Miles from Cairns is back again with one of his distinctive multimedia pieces (‘Stingray’) made from recycled materials and LED lighting.

• Robert Tommy Pau has created the ‘Kole-Gate’ sculpture (a reflection on capitalism, and the commodification and exploitation of labour and resources) a departure from his usual work in print making and painting.

You & Me 2023 exhibiting artists are:

• Edna Ambrym, Yarrabah Art Centre

• Wayne Connolly, Yarrabah Art Centre

• Valmai Pollard, Yarrabah Art Centre

• Michelle Yeatman, Yarrabah Art Centre

• Philomena Yeatman, Yarrabah Art Centre

• Freddie Joe, Moa Art Centre

• Michelle Weare

• Rhys Miles

• Robert Tommy Pau

• Sandra Kaddy, NPA Art Centre

• Normie Young, NPA Art Centre

• Johnny Mark, NPA Art Centre

• Joy Tapau, NPA Art Centre

• Peter Kulla Kulla, NPA Art Centre

Exhibition Opening & Details

You & Me will be officially opened on Friday 10 March 2023 from 6pm. Contact exhibitions@umiarts.com.au or tel: 4041 6152 to RSVP attendance.

The exhibition is then open to the public until 5 May 2023 and can be viewed from Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm at UMI Arts Shop 4, Jensen Plaza Gallery, 1 Jensen Street, Manoora.

Established since 2005, UMI Arts is the peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and cultural organisation for Far North Queensland, an area that extends north of Cairns to include the Torres Strait Islands, south to Cardwell, west to Camooweal and includes the Gulf of Carpentaria and Mt Isa regions. UMI Arts is a notfor-profit company managed by an all-Indigenous Board of Directors. Its mission is to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to participate in the maintenance, preservation, and protection of cultural identity.

For more, visit www.umiarts.com.au

ARTWORK CAPTIONS:

01 Normie Young acrylic on canvas, Crayfish (66 x 40cm)

02 Philomena Yeatman Learning to Weave 1 & 2, woven baskets

03 Johnny Mark acrylic on canvas, Dugong (40 x 31cm)

04 Michelle Yeatman ceramic bowl, Jilgi (66 x 40cm)

05 Wayne Connolly acrylic on canvas, The Legend of the Red Dugong (98 x 126cm)

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