Sally Gabori - Land Of All

A major retrospective of the late indigenous artist, Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori, runs from 21 May to 28 August at the Queensland Art Gallery.

Even if you’ve never seen her works at any art galleries, you might’ve been greeted by a huge mural of some of her pieces at the arrivals concourse at Brisbane International Airport.

Gabori, a Kaiadilt woman originally from Bentinck in the 1920s and then Mornington Island, passed away in February 2015. This exhibition, titled Dulka Warngiid – Land of All, reflects on the numerous stories of Gabori’s place and the huge body of work she created in the short space of time starting from 2005 until her death at the age of 81. 

There’ll be more than 50 artworks on display, with QAGOMA Director, Chris Saines, saying, “This exhibition captures in depth Sally Gabori’s instinct for colour and composition, her epic and multi-layered painterly abstractions that resonate with her deep connection to story places on Bentinck Island.”

QAGOMA Curator of Indigenous Art, Bruce McLean, had been working on Dulka Warngiid – Land of All, prior to Gabori’s passing last year and says, “Although many of her paintings appear abstract, they retain an essence of Kaiadilt Country, and at their heart they resonate with universal themes of loss, longing and love.”

Works on show from QAGOMA’s collection include Dibirdibi Country – Topway 2006, Dibirdibi Country 2008 and 2012, while there will also be other works from private and public collections nationally, as well as Sally Gabori’s painting table and paintbrush from the Collection of Beverley and Anthony Knight, OAM. Don’t miss this valuable exhibition before it heads to the National Gallery of Victoria in September.

Need to know – From 25 June, you can also experience The Gabori Sisters: Gathering by the Sea, a free interactive project at GOMA’s Children’s Art Centre and developed in collaboration with the artist’s three daughters, Dorothy, Elsie and Amanda Gabori.

By Vicki Englund