Entertainment
17 April, 2026
Rusty’s Markets re-defined
THREE exhibitions by artists connected to Cairns have opened at Tanks Arts Centre, offering audiences an insight into local life, memory and storytelling.
The exhibitions: ‘Rusty’s’, ‘Water Remembers’ and ‘Threads’, opened on 10 April in the Tank 4 Gallery and feature work by Akash Bhatt, Sahan Kulathunge and Nicola Bryars-Parker.
Rusty’s, by British artist Akash Bhatt, is the result of his current artist-in-residence at Tanks Arts Centre. The exhibition draws on Cairns’ Rusty’s Markets, focusing on daily interactions and the rhythm of the well-known inner-city space.
“The works are mostly about the interactions at the market,” Mr Bhatt said.
“It’s about people going about their daily lives, from the early set-up through to the end of the day when everything is being sold off. It’s chaotic and fun.”
Mr Bhatt said he hoped the exhibition would highlight the importance of markets to the community.
“I want the people of Cairns to see how fortunate they are to have this thriving market. People need to treasure these markets as places of social connection,” he said.
Cairns-based watercolourist Sahan Kulathunge is presenting Water Remembers, his first solo exhibition. The collection captures familiar locations across Cairns and the surrounding region, using light and tonal variation to explore how memory evolves over time.
Each work reflects a personal view of the region through Mr Kulathunge’s perspective.
Threads, by Nicola Bryars-Parker, completes the program. The exhibition features work developed during her residency in Ahmedabad, India, drawing on the city’s textile traditions. It combines layered materials, mark-making and sound to explore connections between place and artistic practice.
Ms Bryars-Parker will also host two ticketed workshops on 18 April and 3 May.
A free artist talk will be held on 18 April with second artist-in-residence Benjamin Sebastian, offering insight into his broader practice and current research.
The exhibitions are now on display at Tanks Arts Centre, with more information available online.
