Entertainment
20 June, 2025
Exhibition weaves stories
WEAVING the stories of First Nations peoples, the 12th Freshwater Saltwater exhibition by UMI Arts will celebrate the distinctiveness between Indigenous cultures through 34 diverse works by 12 artists opening today.
Thirty-four artworks from acrylic on canvas and monoprints to woven artefacts make up this year’s Freshwater Saltwater exhibition set to open today. The exhibition – which is one of UMI Arts’ most popular exhibitions attracting art lovers and collectors – aims to tell the story of FNQ’s two distinctive cultures, saltwater people and freshwater people.
This year, UMI Arts is also bringing a special 20th anniversary exhibition of Freshwater Saltwater to be exhibited at Mulgrave Gallery on June 28 featuring works from longstanding members.
The exhibition opens today at 6pm at the UMI Arts Gallery and will run until October 12.
“UMI Arts is proud to present two Freshwater Saltwater exhibitions this season – our signature annual members show and a landmark 20-year retrospective. Together, they reflect the artistic excellence, cultural strength and continuity of First Nations artists across Far North Queensland,” said UMI Arts artistic director Lisa Michl Ko-manggén
“This year’s beautiful and thought-provoking collection of artwork represents the flowing together of our people’s cultures and stories, from rainforest to desert to island,” she said.
Mossman artist Kassandra Savage said with this exhibition she was connecting to her freshwater side.
“You’re going to see some brolgas and some pandana’s palms, waterlilies and lily pads,” she said. “It’s a privilege to get to exhibit with UMI Arts and get to see so many great artworks on the wall.
“I experimented with some new colours this time and painted my brolgas again. I learned a few years ago that my great grandmother, who was born outside Normanton at the Delta Downs Station, her totem was the brolga, so I’m still practicing bringing those into my art.
“Brolgas are birds that are near the water out of the swamps, so I’ve tied that to my freshwater side. The water lilies are just so peaceful, I’ve got some growing at home and looking at all the colours is just so inspiring, so I included them in my artwork. I wanted to try new things.”
UMI Arts’ exhibition and gallery officer, Aleksandra Kostic D, said many notable artworks comprised this year’s Freshwater Saltwater exhibition.
