Southern Highlands' first regional gallery announces inaugural exhibition program

Opening to the public on 25th September, the Southern Highlands’ first regional art gallery – Ngununggula – has announced its inaugural exhibition program. Meaning "belonging" in the traditional language of the Gundungurra First Nation People, Ngununggula will open in what was the old dairy at Retford Park.

The inaugural exhibition titled High Jinks in the Hydrangeas will feature a series of newly commissioned photographs and sculptural installations created over the last 18 months by acclaimed Australian artist Tamara Dean, opening on 25th September and on display until 12th December 2021. The exhibition offers a perspective of our collective experience of isolation and renewed appreciation of nature, as Dean used her surrounding environment of private gardens throughout the Southern Highlands as the focus of her photographic works.

Featuring a heritage-sensitive gallery design undertaken by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer and constructed by Richard Crookes Constructions. Ngununggula will be surrounded by a landscaped garden created by Jane Irwin and a new café, Hearth in partnership with Moonacres Kitchen.

Under the leadership of Director Megan Monte, the new Gallery aims to capture the cultural vibrancy of the region through a dynamic curatorial program and community-minded approach. With a focus on visual arts and education, the program will represent the region and beyond through significant exhibitions, artist-led projects, live events, workshops, artist talks and public programs. Creating engaging ways for the local community to connect with artists and their ideas will be at the core of Ngununggula’s philosophy.

Monte advised “we’re so delighted to see all the hard work that has gone into Ngununggula come to fruition as we come closer to opening in September. We want the Gallery to serve as the centre of arts and culture in the Southern Highlands and add to the vibrant creative offering of the region, with a program featuring leading Australian artists and a focus on being a resource for art education to the community. Our program is about storytelling, sharing experiences and understanding perspectives with a sense of scale and ambition.

Ngununggula Founder and celebrated artist Ben Quilty added “I have always been a firm believer in the value of art and culture in bringing a community together and couldn't be happier to see the first regional art gallery in the Southern Highlands of NSW opening this September.

“Ngununggula will be a cultural hub for residents and visitors of all ages across the entire Highlands community. The Gallery will bring back life to old buildings and create new and exciting spaces to present some of the most important artworks of our time.”

A new large-scale installation by Megan Cope will be unveiled upon the Gallery opening and on display for 12 months. Cope’s work will consist of a large-scale mapping piece, made in collaboration with local Gundungurra Elder Aunty Velma Mulcahy OAM and the broader Southern Highlands Aboriginal community. This is the first Entry Pavilion Commission, an annual initiative which speaks to the Gallery’s commitment to celebrating Gundungurra language and culture by inviting an Aboriginal artist or collective to work with the community to create a site-specific installation in Ngununggula's Entry Pavilion.

Image: The Old Dairy, Retford Park, Credit: Ashley Mackevicius