Dhungatti artist and Archibald Prize winner Blak Douglas returned to Manly Art Gallery & Museum to present the confronting truth about Gayamay (Manly Cove).
With ‘Inverted Commoners’, Douglas explores the themes of place and displacement and questions what a place really should be named, especially at Gayamay – the point of first contact between First Nations and the British.
The self-taught artist won the Archibald Prize in 2022 for his portrait of artist and friend Karla Dickens, becoming the second Aboriginal artist to win the prize in 101 years.
As part of the exhibition, the MAG&M Art Wall facing Gayamay will be transformed by the artist into a 24/7 public art piece.
Inverted Commoners will be on exhibition from 21 April to 30 July 2023 at Manly Art Gallery & Museum, supported by the Aboriginal Heritage Office and Colormaker Industries.
A special workshop will be held on Sunday 30 June, for budding artists to explore the exhibition with the artist and create their own unique cloud painting. And a meet the artist event will also be held on Saturday 8 July.
For all the event details visit Manly Art Gallery & Museum website here.