Kaiela Arts Editions aims to expand creative and commercial opportunities for First Nations artists.
This year’s limited-edition collection draws on The Blow Hole, a culturally significant site near Tocumwal, where water bubbles through a granite outcrop when the Murray River is low.
Through the work, Mr Stewart explores the connection between Country, cultural stories and the traditions carried through his contemporary art practice.
“The Blow Hole near Tocumwal is a significant Aboriginal site shared by Ulupna and Kwat Kwat Traditional Owners,” he said.
“Our Elders tell us that our creator, Biami, represented by the snake, entered the underworld there, carving the caverns and tunnel systems.”
Mr Stewart said the site’s bubbling water represented Biami’s spirit moving through the underground world, while its granite sinkholes held water and supported life through drought.
The collection exclusively features 40 hand-printed works on archival paper and 10 silkscreen prints on glass.
“Working with Kaiela Arts and Spacecraft to bring the design into two-colour prints on paper and glass has given the work a new form,” he said.
“Without that collaboration, it would never have happened.”
Kaiela Arts curator Chloe Jones said Mr Stewart was a respected artist, storyteller, caretaker and teacher whose practice contributed to the cultural story of south-east Australia.
“Following Maree Clarke’s inaugural release, this second Kaiela Arts Editions collaboration continues the program’s commitment to creating ambitious new opportunities for First Nations artists while bringing their work to wider audiences and collectors,” she said.
The collection will launch at Kaiela Arts at the Shepparton Art Musuem on November 26, with a second launch at Spacecraft in Melbourne on December 5.
The works will be on display at Kaiela Arts from November 26 to December 23, with pieces available exclusively through the gallery and online at kaielaarts.org.au
Proceeds will support Kaiela Arts’ artist programs and community-led cultural practice.
