Campbelltown Arts Centre has unveiled 'Barbara McGrady: Ngiyaningy Maran Yaliwaunga Ngaara-li (Our Ancestors Are Always Watching)', a solo exhibition showcasing Barbara McGrady's powerful photography.
Aunty Barbara, a respected Gomeroi/Murri Yinnah woman born in 1950 in Mungindi on the New South Wales-Queensland border, is renowned for her work capturing Blak beauty, strength, resilience, and excellence over the past five decades.
"I always felt a need from a very young age to tell our stories; who we are as a people," Aunty Barbara said.
"Whether it's through photography, writing, or just speaking about us."
As a child, she avidly read publications like Time, Life, Paris Review, Punch, Esquire, and Playboy, which her father brought home.
These magazines featured Black writers such as James Baldwin, Alex Haley, Langston Hughes, and Zora Neale Hurston.
"I taught myself to read and always saw these great images of Black people in magazines, but I thought, 'where's our Black people?'" she said.
Her art highlights the contributions of individuals who drive societal change and shape the future.
"I want to put everyone and everything out there," she said.
"Anyone I think that is putting our story out there or is interesting is who I want to capture."
At the heart of this exhibition is the large-scale film installation 'Ngiyaningy Maran Yaliwaunga Ngaara-li (Our Ancestors Are Always Watching)', 2020.
This piece, reflecting Aunty Barbara's artistic journey, has been acquired by the Campbelltown City Council Art Collection for this exhibition.
Initially commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney for NIRIN, the 22nd Biennale of Sydney, and presented at Campbelltown Arts Centre in 2020, 'Ngiyaningy Maran Yaliwaunga Ngaara-li' was created in collaboration with artist John Janson-Moore.
The acquisition was made possible by the support of Jo-Anne Birnie-Danzker and Maryrose and Michael Morgan.
The exhibition is presented by Campbelltown Arts Centre with support from the Australian Museum and photographic reproduction permissions from the State Library of New South Wales.
Aunty Barbara hopes her work challenges stereotypes and portrays the reality of her people.
"I hope people take away that we aren't stereotypes, that this is our country and we are thriving," she said.
"I hope they take that away and see us as we truly are."
"What I tell young people is that if you love your culture, you will do this."
The exhibition runs until October 13th, offering visitors a chance to experience McGrady's compelling portrayal of contemporary Aboriginal history.
