Rite of Passage is a group exhibition curated by Shannon Brett, a descendant of the Wakka Wakka, Butchulla and Gurang Gurang clans, as a response to the significance of the year 2020 – 250 years since James Cook first arrived on our shores.

Reframing the way that we perceive this year in our history, the exhibition showcases the strength of autobiographical work by eleven contemporary Aboriginal artists from across Australia: Glennys Briggs, Megan Cope, Nici Cumpston, Karla Dickens, Julie Gough, Lola Greeno, Leah King-Smith, Jenna Lee, Carol McGregor, Mandy Quadrio, and Judy Watson.

The exhibition reveals how these artists define themselves as voices of their families and their ancestors in their quest to preserve their Aboriginality. Fearless and relentless, these artists carry the fire of a culture that lives on, as the passage that they travel is no longer solitary – together they pave the way for tomorrow.