Long Way Home The Home to Bilo Story Art Exhibition at Banana Shire Regional Art Gallery
Long Way Home The Home to Bilo Story Art Exhibition at Banana Shire Regional Art Gallery
Long Way Home
The Home to Bilo Story Art Exhibition at Banana Shire Regional Art Gallery
Banana Shire Regional Art Gallery will open The Long Way Home exhibition on Friday the 6th of May which will run through to the 17th of June 2022. The exhibition is a collaboration between Home to Bilo, Local and National Artists and the Banana Shire Regional Art Gallery that captures the lives of the Murugappan family from their home life in Biloela to their journey through Australia’s detention system.
The exhibition will start from when the family arrived in Australia, capturing their simple life within the community of Biloela, to their removal from their home through to life in Australia’s detention system. Alongside the family's story, the exhibition will showcase the campaign that the Biloela community has waged over the past four years ensuring the family’s safe return home to Biloela.
“The family has captured the hearts and minds of people on a national and international level,” said Banana Shire Council Mayor Nev Ferrier. “The exhibition has inspired many artists to use their artwork to make commentary and capture the story of the family and their plight to freedom,” he added.
The exhibition is a mix of painting, sculptures, photography, and digital media. The story of the family and the campaign will be depicted using a combination of words and personal effects throughout the gallery. There will be several art pieces as focal points for significant moments in the story, along with a timeline of words and photographs.
Archibald prize finalist Angus McDonald is among one of the Artists in the exhibition who has submitted an oil painting of a white dove, as a symbolic statement of returning to peace and sanctuary. Banana Shire local Indigenous artists Wayne Martin and James Waterton have also submitted pieces to represent the Biloela country with the themes of family and belonging for the Long Way Home exhibition.
“This exhibition is a collaboration of love, courage and endurance in the life of the Murugappan family on their journey to freedom over the last 4 years,” said Robert Connell, Arts and Culture Advisor for Banana Shire Council. “Each artist’s work intrinsically links to the timeline of the family’s story, allowing for reflection and understanding,” he added.
The Long Way Home exhibition opens on Friday 6th May and runs through until Friday 17th June 2022. The exhibition is open to the public and free to attend.