UMI Arts will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a commemorative, invitation-only exhibition featuring 20 member artists and 120 artworks.
Titled Freshwater Saltwater, this special milestone exhibition will run from 28 June to 23 August 2025, coinciding with key events in the region’s First Nations cultural calendar, including Cairns Festival, NAIDOC Week, and Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF).
While UMI Arts has proudly hosted its annual Freshwater Saltwater members’ exhibition since its inception, this 20th anniversary iteration is a curated showcase that honours two decades of cultural leadership and creative excellence.
UMI Arts’ invitational, 20-year exhibition will be staged at Mulgrave Gallery, a new cultural destination in Cairns housed in the restored former Mulgrave Shire Council Chambers. With its soaring ceilings, heritage vaults, and commitment to celebrating regional and Indigenous artistic expression, the gallery offers a powerful and atmospheric backdrop for this once-in-a-generation show.
The community is invited to celebrate the official opening ceremony of Freshwater Saltwater on Saturday 28 June (11.00am), after which they can spend the day listening to artists discuss their work, participating in workshops, and purchasing gifts from UMI Arts’ much-loved art and craft market.
In a collective artistic response to culture and Country, Freshwater Saltwater highlights the diverse creative expressions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists across Far North Queensland.
UMI Arts’ Artistic Director Lisa Michl Ko-manggén OAM says the exhibition has been 12 months in the making and reflects the diverse geography, stories, and cultural practices of artists from Mt Isa to Cairns, the Tablelands, Cape York and the Torres Strait.
“Freshwater Saltwater is an exhibition that marks UMI Arts’ milestone and special occasion with an insightful and visual portrayal of our stories, songs, dances, culture, and history dating back thousands of years. Other stories will bring you close to home,” said Ms Michl Ko-manggén.
The exhibition draws inspiration from the distinct cultural identities within the region. ‘Freshwater’ symbolises the Aboriginal nations of Far North Queensland, where rivers flow across the land and through the rainforest from coastal Cardwell to the Cape York Peninsula, while ‘Saltwater’ represents the island nations and Torres Strait peoples, surrounded by the oceans.
Featuring a curated selection of works on canvas and paper, ceramics, artefacts, and jewellery by 20 of the region’s best-known mid-career to established artists, the 20-year exhibition presents a visually striking and thought-provoking collection that captures the flowing together of cultures and stories – from rainforest to desert to island.
Participating artists include well-known regional names such as Dr. David Bindi Hudson, Michelle Yeatman, Joelene Roughsey, Robert Tommy Pau, Kassandra Savage, Edward Williams, and Sandra Ase, alongside Lisa Michl Ko-manggén, who is working in collaboration with other artists.
Other featured artists include Michael Anning, Wanjibung Edwards, Kel Williams, Dorothy Edwards, and Priscilla Major, reflecting a mix of mid-career and established creatives who have contributed to the strength and evolution of UMI Arts since its founding in 2005.
UMI Arts’ annual Freshwater Saltwater members’ exhibition will continue separately at the UMI Arts Gallery later in the season.
UMI Arts’ 20th anniversary exhibition at the Mulgrave Gallery, Cairns opens on 28 June and runs through to 23 August 2025. For more information, visit: www.umiarts.com.au for details.
Image: Sandra Scott, Dilly Bag Lamandra, 2024 (supplied)