New exhibition puts Wollongong’s creativity and culture centre stage

Image: Wollongong Art Gallery Director Daniel Mudie Cunningham at the Greetings from Wollongong Exhibition that opens on Friday 13 June.

The city’s rich history of protest, politics and creativity is the focus of an exciting new exhibition opening at Wollongong Art Gallery this Friday night.

Greetings from Wollongong is curated by Wollongong-born designer, musician and WAH-WAH Australia fashion label founder Kaylene Milner, with Louise Brand, Aneshka Mora and Daniel Mudie Cunningham.

The two-and-a-half-month exhibition looks back at how the city’s politics and community diversity have influenced the city’s political and creative scene.

The exhibition features iconic works from Redback Graphix (1979-1994) and a survey of the film of local director Mary Callaghan (1955-2016) including screening her out-of-circulation film, titled Greetings from Wollongong. The 1982 film chronicles life and unemployment in the city and has been loaned to Wollongong Art Gallery by the National Film and Sound Archive.

“Greetings from Wollongong is a timely and evocative exhibition that speaks directly to our city’s evolving identity and context within a broader national conversation,’’ Wollongong Art Gallery Director Daniel Mudie Cunningham said.

“Through the lens of artists past and present, it captures the spirit, contradictions and lived realities of Wollongong—a place shaped by industry, migration, and resilience.

“This show invites audiences to reflect on what it means to belong here, and how the stories of this place continue to shape who we are.”

Mr Mudie Cunningham said he was pleased to work with Kaylene Milner on her curatorial debut at Wollongong Art Gallery and to see work from Redback Graphix upon the gallery walls. It’s joined by works by WAG collection artists including Uncle Kevin Butler, Deborah Kelly, Fiona MacDonald and Kirli Saunders, and invited contributions by Kait James, Kate Just and the Ovuhm Collective.

Ms Milner said it was interesting to see the works of Redback Graphix and reflect upon the climate in which they were made, and how this past has influenced the way Wollongong is perceived today.

"As I reflect on my formative years in Wollongong, I’m only now beginning to fully appreciate the profound influence its vibrant arts, music, socio-economic landscape, and rich tradition of grassroots activism have had on shaping me as a designer,’’ she said.

“I believe this exhibition will spark similar realizations in others, and I sincerely hope it inspires someone to explore new ways of contributing to that legacy, both for themselves and for others."

Greetings from Wollongong opens on Friday 13 June and runs until 31 August 2025. The exhibition is free to visit and there are a range of related events including a Panel Talk on 15 June about Activism, Art and Culture in Wollongong in the 1980s, a film program and a school holiday printmaking workshop.