Carrolup artworks travel to Great Southern for new instalment of Once Known exhibition

Phoebe Blogg Published October 14, 2026 at 4.30am (AWST)

arts

Decade of Carrolup public opening. Image: Brad Coleman.

Landmark truth-telling exhibition Once Known is set to open on Menang Country at the Albany Entertainment Centre.

Presented by John Curtin Gallery and Gorenang Moortabiin Aboriginal Corporation, the new iteration of the exhibition will be open to the public from Thursday, October 22.

Once Known offers a rare opportunity to see the extraordinary artworks created by Aboriginal children forcibly taken from their families and detained at the Carrolup Native Settlement in the 1940s.

A selection of the Carrolup artworks made their way to the United States and were rediscovered by chance at Colgate University, New York, in 2004. This collection, known as the Herbert Mayer Collection of Carrolup Artworks, comprises 127 pieces, 23 of which are included in Once Known.

The exhibiton reminds viewers that each child had a name, a family and a story. These artworks stand as a testament to the creativity and resilience of the Carrolup children, offering a glimpse into their enduring connection to Country.

*A look inside the Once Known exhibition. (Image: Marnie Richardson)*

John Curtin Gallery director Professor Susanna Castleden said she was grateful to work with Gorenang Moortabiin to bring such an important exhibition to the region.

"Through the Carrolup Centre for Truth-telling Reference Group, Noongar Elders have gently guided the care, use and priorities of the Carrolup artworks and we are honoured to share this exhibition on Menang Country," Professor Castleden said.

The artworks will be travelling from their current location at the Old Perth Boys' School at St Georges Terrace, to the Albany Entertainment Centre - with future exhibitions set to launch at the new purpose-built gallery space at John Curtin Gallery in 2027.

*Visitors admiring the Once Known exhibition.(Image: Marnie Richardson)*

Gorenang Moortabiin Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Paula Foenander said bringing Once Known to Menang Country is about far more than an exhibition.

"These works carry the voices, identity and extraordinary strength of Aboriginal children who created beauty at a time when so much was being taken from them," she said.

"For Gorenang Moortabiin, it is a privilege to bring their stories onto Menang Boodja, to honour those children, reclaim their stories from the silence of history and ensure their voices are carried strongly forward for generations to come."

Once Known shares reproductions from the delicate originals, which gained widespread recognition through exhibitions across Australia and around the world.

The exhibition is made possible through the support of Lotterywest, BHP, Colgate University, City of Perth and over 750 supporters who committed to helping share the truth of the Stolen Generations through their support of the Carrolup Centre for Truth-telling.

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