Yimbaya Maranoa is a First Nations led project …

… initiated through Traditional Custodians Vicki Saunders, Vernessa Fien, and with Jude Taggart Roberts, a former Maranoa resident. The creative three formed a connection through their memories to the Maranoa and Gunggari families in the region whose stories continue to inspire and draw them back to the river.

The Remapping Mitchell Arts Collective has evolved through the continued dedication, support and development of established and emerging artists and creatives. The project revolves around the theme of the Maranoa and the collective stories of living on, being on, and listening to this unique country.

Through an ongoing series of immersive gatherings on Country, the Collective is producing a living archive* of arts related works, stories, and perspectives currently absent or at least less visible in contemporary and historical accounts of the region.

Camping residencies are held at the intersection of places of significance to First Nations Custodians, and the route taken by Major Thomas Mitchell’s surveying expedition of 1846.

The Maranoa is a region of cultural, spiritual, and environmental significance linked to Booringa (‘place of fire’ in Gunggari language).

Taking a multi-media approach, the Collective highlights, celebrates and revises the Maranoa’s layers of history and story, through video, sound, works on paper and canvas, weaving, textiles, sculpture and photographs.

The project’s uniqueness lies in is its core values of meeting, creating, sharing and collaborating on Country, and the bringing together of participants from diverse backgrounds to form a one-of-a-kind project.

*A “living archive” (Rhodes, 2014) is a collection of materials presented in a way that allows for the expression, exhibition, documentation and preservation of a sentiment or movement in a particular community.

Biochrome art of healing flora

Flora in my biochrome art for this exhibition was selected by Saraeva Mitchell and Aunty Lynette Nixon from Gunggari country, significant due to the plants’ healing qualities and cultural stories. For example, the Emu Apple plant pictured above in a biochrome image, contains high levels of Vitamin C, can be used for sore eyes, and its fruit is edible.

There are 17 artists participating in the project:

Renata Buziak, Felicity Chapman (Deadly Weavers), Clare Cowley, Madeline Cobb, Deena Dodd, Vernessa Fien, Helen Hardess, Michelle Hobbs, Merete Megarrity, Saraeva Mitchell, Donna Malone, Vicki Saunders, Leearna Saunders, Sue Saunders, Warren Saunders, Jude Taggart Roberts, Anastasia Tyurina.

Artwork photographer (unless stated otherwise): Darcy Foott Photography.

Documenter for camp residency: Greg Harm Tangible Media

Collaborators and technicians

Keith Armstrong, Adrien Deary, Stewart Kruger

Yimbali- listening is a way of healing collaboration: Leah Barclay, Tanja Brueggemann, Renata Buziak,  Vicki Kelleher.

With thanks to camp assistance Harry Roberts.