What's On at John Curtin Gallery

✨ Our latest Carrolup exhibition, ‘Once Known’ opened to the public last week at the Old Perth Boys’ School at 139 St Georges Terrace as part of the Lotterywest Boorloo Heritage Festival.

Curated by former Director Chris Malcolm in consultation with the Carrolup Centre for Truth-telling Reference Group, ‘Once Known’ shares meticulous reproductions from the delicate originals, providing greater accessibility to the artworks in the lead up to the opening of the Carrolup Centre for Truth-telling within the John Curtin Gallery at Curtin University, Bentley campus where the original artworks will be on year-round display from 2026. While hundreds of children were detained at Carrolup, only 17 artists have been attributed to works in the Herbert Mayer Collection of Carrolup Artwork. The ‘Once Known’ exhibition is a reminder that each child had a name, a family, and a story.

Open during the Lotterywest Boorloo Heritage Festival: 4 – 17 Apr 2025, weekdays 11am – 3pm then reopening to the public Monday 28 Apr. Opening Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 11am – 4pm (closed Wednesdays and Weekends).

For more information and to see our upcoming events for ‘Once Known’, visit www.curtin.edu.au/jcg/exhibitions/carrolup-once-known/ or LINK in BIO

Photography by Marnie Richardson

@curtinuniversity #Carrolup #CarrolupCentreforTruthtelling #OnceKnown #OldPerthBoysSchool #JohnCurtinGallery #CurtinUniversity #BoorlooHeritageFestival

Mai Nguyễn-Long
Doba Nation

The clusters of ceramic forms that comprise Doba Nation are humorously defiant. Eyes bulge, mouths expel tongues and vomit, tiny Poo Balls are scattered throughout. Positioned on travel crates, repurposed as plinths, there is a sense of things being impermanent, unstable or on the move. This is a ramshackle chorus of rejected selves, claiming space and community.

Mai Nguyễn-Long’s cylindrical forms are inspired by post-Vietnam War bomb shell casings that some residents of rural Vietnam have repurposed for practical use. Other disturbing connections to war have also found their way into her work – the striking orange of her Vomit Girl figures alludes to the notorious use of the defoliant ‘Agent Orange’ by US forces. These characteristic figures seem to be evolving into increasingly complex, rhythmic forms with holes, prongs and looping appendages jostling over the surface. Other slip painted forms appear to be in the process of transformation or disintegration. Tubular shapes reach out, holes searching like blind mouths or nostrils. At times complete faces are represented; their diversely stumpy, mutating shapes a reminder of Vomit Girl’s genesis. There is a clear evolution here that suggests an eventual reunification of lost parts. This transformative aspect underpins a provocative complexity to Mai Nguyễn-Long’s work that is deeply compelling.

Lia McKnight, Curator

Only a few weeks left!
Exhibition ends 17 Apr.
For more information, visit curtin.edu.au/jcg or LINK in BIO

‘Doba Nation’ is presented with @perthfest
@mainguyenlong is represented by @michaelreidsydney

📸 Portrait by Ezra Alcantra. Installation views by John Curtin Gallery.
Images 3 & 6: Doba Nation (details), 2023. Photos by Daniel Soma, courtesy of the artist and Michael Reid Sydney + Berlin.

Alice Guiness
Burndud Ground

The Burndud ceremony is a special and unique cultural obligation where each member of Yindjibarndi must attend and participate . . . It also reminds us that there is a harmony within our lives that incorporates all living things on Ngurra (country).

As we see Mum Alice paint the Burndud, we are reminded of her personal ability and her everyday challenges she faces to communicate her feelings and what drives her to make the Burndud her main piece and focus when doing her artwork.

I have learnt over the years that her Burndud depictions are deep messages of what she sees as important things in our lives – Ceremony, Family, Galharra, Ngurra and the Songs . . . Through art she is teaching us the true meaning of balancing our two worlds.

Art is her nourishment; she communicates through it. Art is a human creativity. And it matters when we want to make sense of life. Mum Alice is desperately helping us to make sense of her life, she is telling us her story . . . When we start to listen to each other, that’s when the healing happens.

Lorraine Coppin
Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation
Excerpt from a catalogue essay, January 2025

Only a few weeks left!
Exhibition ends 17 Apr.
For more information, visit curtin.edu.au/jcg or LINK in BIO

Burndud Ground is a @perthfest and @juluwarluartgroup commission and is part of the Boorloo Contemporary Program in partnership with @wesfarmersarts

📸 Portrait by Marnie Richardson, courtesy of Perth Festival. Installation views by John Curtin Gallery.

✨Thurs 6 March
Experience the magic of art in a whole new time!
Staying open until 7pm - visit us for a twilight viewing at the JCG where you can explore our 2025 Perth Festival exhibitions ‘Alice Guiness: Burndud Ground’ & ‘Mai Nguyễn-Long: Doba Nation’

Take advantage of the FREE PARKING from 4:30pm and enjoy the art at a new convenient time.

Make it an evening with eateries located close by at Curtin Exchange https://exchange.curtin.edu.au/shop-dine/

Can’t make the 6th? We will have a second Twilight Viewing on Thursday 20 March 🙌

@perthfest @juluwarluartgroup @mainguyenlong @curtinuniversity @curtinlifeaustralia @explore_curtin
#pertharts #exhibitionopening #aliceguiness #juluwarlu #burndud #MaiNguyễnLong #dobanation #vomitgirl #curtinart #PerthFestival25 #ArtExhibition #FreeEvent #curtinuniversity #CurtinLife

Friday 7 March, 12:30-1:30pm

Join us for a guided tour with JCG Curator Lia McKnight through our Perth Festival Exhibitions! 🌟 Gain an in-depth look into the creative process behind these two incredible exhibitions:

• Alice Guiness’s ‘Burndud Ground’: Experience the Burndud ceremony through stunning paintings, neon sculptures, and media installations.

• Mai Nguyễn-Long`s ‘Doba Nation’: Discover a captivating storytelling installation featuring hand-formed clay sculptures.

✨Free Event. To book, visit: curtin.edu.au/jcg/events/curator-tour or via Link in Bio

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‘Burndud Ground’ is a @perthfest and @juluwarluartgroup commission and is part of the Boorloo Contemporary Program in partnership with @wesfarmersarts

‘Doba Nation’ is presented with @perthfest @mainguyenlong @michaelreidsydney

📸 Exhibition photos by John Curtin Gallery.
Opening event image of Lia McKnight (centre) with Alice Guiness (left) & Mai Nguyễn-Long (right). Photo by Ezra Alcantra

#pertharts #exhibitionopening #aliceguiness #juluwarlu #burndud #MaiNguyễnLong #dobanation #vomitgirl #curtinart #PerthFestival25 #ArtExhibition #FreeEvent #JCGCuratorTour #curtinuniversity

🙌 17-21 Feb is O-Week at Curtin University and JCG invites students to come experience our current Perth Festival exhibitions plus extra tours and workshops. 🎉

Events include: Gallery Tours, Campus Art Tours, Paper Collage & Crafty Workshops. For more information visit our website: curtin.edu.au/jcg or see Link via BIO

⭐️ O-Week Student Gift Shop Competition

Complete one of the following activities to go into the running to win 1 of 5 gift vouchers to the JCG shop to the value of $50 each. Competition runs from Monday 17 Feb to Fri 21 February and is open to Curtin Students. T&C`s via JCG website 👉explore page

- Treasure Hunt JCG: Collect the Treasure Hunt questions from the John Curtin Gallery front desk.

- Instagram: Follow the John Curtin Gallery Instagram account @johncurtingallery and share this post to your story with the hashtag #jcgoweek25
Winners will be drawn Friday 21 Feb at 5pm and notified the following week.

Alice Guiness: Burndud Ground installation view. Photo by Indigo Hanlee.
Shop photo by Grace Connors.

#curtinuniversity #oweek25 #explorecurtin #curtinstudents