Exhibition: Leanne Tobin: Memories of Water (Badu)
9 December 2023 – 28 April 2024
Exhibitions continues until 28 April 2024.
‘Memories of Water (Badu)’ reveals glimpses of life from pre and post colonisation in the Liverpool/Casula region where the Georges River flows. The exhibition provides a unique insight into the often-overlooked Cabragal Dharug connection to badu (water) and Ngurra (country).
The Dharug people are intrinsically linked to the site and the surrounding land where the Casula Powerhouse stands. It is their stories and collective memories, among others who have ancestral links to this place, that are brought together in this immersive and visually rich exhibition. A special feature is Tobin’s iridescent glass works that capture and shimmer in the light, reflecting on the past and emphasizing the fragile nature of the river in contemporary times.
Leanne Tobin is a proud descendent of the Buruberong and Wumali clans of the Dharug nation. She is highly respected and is increasingly acknowledged as a leading contemporary arts figure at a national level.
‘Memories of Water (Badu)’ is Tobin’s first solo exhibition at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre.
‘Memories of Water (Badu)’ has been commissioned by Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and supported by Sydney Festival.
OPENING HOURS
Tuesday - Friday: 10am - 5pm
Saturday: 10am - 9pm
Sunday: 10am - 4pm
Monday & public holidays - CLOSED
BIOGRAPHY
Leanne Tobin is a multidisciplinary artist of Dharug heritage descending from the Buruberong and Wumali clans, the traditional custodians of the Greater Sydney region.
Tobin lives on Dharug Country at Springwood and is the great-great-great grandchild of Maria Lock, who in 1833, was the first Aboriginal woman to receive a land grant (forty acres in Liverpool).
With an art practice that spans painting, playwriting, large-scale public sculpture and light installations, Tobin has earned accolades for a wide range of artistic and community-led endeavours. Tobin works collaboratively with community groups to tell stories and care for Country.
Her work often seeks to bring people together in a gesture of friendship, unity, and healing, while also encouraging a dialogue that acknowledges the pain of the past caused by the colonisation and the dispossession of Aboriginal people.
Tobin is an artist of growing national importance, as demonstrated by her exhibitions and programs developed for major contemporary exhibitions including the 23rd Biennale of Sydney 2022 and the 22nd Biennale of Sydney 2020.
Image Credit: Leanne Tobin, Eels, glass, 2023. Courtesy of the artist.
Image Credit: Photo of Leanne Tobin by Garry Trinh