'Home: Aboriginal art from New South Wales' student work
Exhibition dates 19 October - 3 December
Nyaaga, Ngarrangga, Wuba meaning look, listen, learn in the Gathang Language, was developed with local schools and the Biripi and Worimi communities as part of the program Home: Aboriginal art from New South Wales.
The Home Program is a collaboration between the Art Gallery of New South Wales, NSW Department of Education’s Arts Unit, Wiradjuri community at Wagga Wagga and Aboriginal communities and regional galleries across NSW. It connects schools to local Aboriginal artists, community, language and culture. In 2023 the program was realised on Wiradjuri country at Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, Anaiwan country at New England Regional Art Museum, Kamilaroi/Gomeroi country at Tamworth Regional Gallery and Gathang (Worimi and Biripi) country at Manning Regional Art Gallery.
In 2023 the Manning Regional Art Gallery delivered Home: Aboriginal art from New South Wales a regional education program from the Art Gallery of NSW and the NSW Department of Education to 450 students from 8 selected schools in the MidCoast region.
The Home program provides professional learning for teachers, regional gallery staff and local artists, the delivery of a bespoke visual arts program for Stage 3 students over three school terms.
The face-to-face excursion to the Manning Regional Art Gallery was a highlight of the program, where students and teachers met with the local Aboriginal community to learn about Biripi and Worimi culture. They heard the special story of the Bilinga and the Fig Tree, as told by Biripi Elder Pastor Russell Saunders OAM, learnt some Gathang language, the language spoken by the Biripi, Worimi and Guringay people and participated in special artmaking activities. The resulting collaborative work of the Bilinga can be seen at the Manning Regional Art Gallery from the 19 October until the 3 December 2023.
The following schools participated in the 2023 program: Barrington Public School, Bobin Public School, Elands Public School, Gloucester Public School, Lansdowne Public School, Nabiac public School, Taree Public School, Taree West Public School.
19 October 2023 until 3 December 2023
Image credit: Student collaborative work Bilinga at Manning Regional Art Gallery as part of the Home: Aboriginal Art from New South Wales program, 2023.
