Coomaditchie: The Art of Place

Experience community life by the ocean through the works of First Nations artists in Coomaditchie: The Art of Place at the Museum of Sydney. These loving and lyrical artworks, which include paintings, ceramics and screen-prints, speak of life in and around the settlement of Coomaditchie, its history, ecology and local Dreaming stories.

The exhibition celebrates the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation in 1993. The corporation provides support and services to the broader community and to the people of the Coomaditchie settlement, located at Coomaditchie Lagoon in the city of Wollongong, the centre of the Illawarra region of NSW. Also on display are original historical documents and a short film that reveal the social and political narrative of the founding of the current Coomaditchie settlement, which followed a long campaign for housing for local Aboriginal people.

Today, the work of the Coomaditchie artists can be found all over the Illawarra – in community spaces, buildings, landscapes, streets and galleries. A selection of photographs shows the depth and the beauty of their contributions to the public art landscape. This timely exhibition offers a glimpse into the political, social and artistic activities of a very special place.

Coomaditchie: The Art of Place is based on the exhibition commissioned by Wollongong Art Gallery in 2023. 

Image: Coomaditchie artists and community members, The First Three Decades (decade three). Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation. Photo © Bernie Fischer, 2022