Badtjala artist Dr. Fiona Foley exhibits decades of work

Hervey Bay Regional Gallery is proud to host Veiled Paradise, the latest collection of works by Badtjala artist Dr. Fiona Foley.

Opening on December 10, 2022, the exhibition will include a jam-packed opening weekend including a makers-market, floor talk, Butchulla Seasonal Garden tours and Foley in conversation with young Butchulla and Woppaburra leader, Jade Gould.

Spanning over 30 years, Foley’s practice—from the founding of Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative in Redfern in the mid-1980s, to now, Veiled Paradise sees some of Foley’s most iconic works and some of her less-seen works put into the spotlight.

The exhibition also features a never-before-seen work filmed entirely on K’gari, a flowing narrative guides the viewer from west to east of the world’s largest sand island.

This is the first acquisitive commission by Hervey Bay Regional Gallery since reopening in 2022.

Councillor David Lewis said it was exciting to see work of national significance and intrinsically connected to our region on exhibition.

“Fiona’s work is informed by her ancestral connection to K’gari (Fraser Island), drawing equally upon its serene beauty and the history of violence and sexual exploitation perpetrated on its shores,” he said.

Cr Lewis said it was particularly special to see the new acquired work.

“Foley’s work addresses contemporary political issues facing Indigenous Australians and is held in the public collections of many Australian state, national and university collections.

“This work is a big step towards our mission of building, maintaining and sharing a Fine Art Collection of State significance.”

For more information head to - https://hbrg.ourfrasercoast.com.au