Two established First Nations artists will take the next step in their professional practice next month when UMI Arts unveils Exhibition Ready 2026, featuring 12 new works by Hopevale artist Shane Gibson (Aka Dhuga) and Torres Strait Islander artist Robert Tommy Pau.
Opening at UMI Arts' Jensen Plaza Gallery on 2 October, the exhibition culminates UMI Arts' Exhibition Ready program, an artist development pathway designed to build the skills, confidence, and professional experience needed to develop and present a cohesive body of work for exhibition.
Gibson, of the Bulgu Thuubi and Bindhi clans, presents four acrylic works on canvas which explore cultural memory, fishing, community life, and connection to Country.
Pau, of the Erub Samsep clans, presents eight acrylic works on mounted board informed by news, current events and contemporary social issues, interpreted through his perspective as a Torres Strait Islander artist.
While distinctly different in subject and approach, the two bodies of work reflect the individual voices and lived experiences of artists continuing to develop and position their practice within the professional arts sector.
UMI Arts artistic director, Lisa Michl Ko-manggén, said Exhibition Ready is an important part of the organisation's commitment to supporting artists beyond creating the work itself.
"Exhibition Ready is an initiative that gives artists the practical knowledge, professional support and experience to take that next step in their creative careers," she said.
"Creating the work is only one part of presenting an exhibition. Artists also need to think about how a body of work comes together, how it is presented, priced and interpreted, and how they position themselves and their practice for future opportunities."
"Shane and Robert bring two very different perspectives to this exhibition, but both have strong and distinctive artistic voices grounded in culture, experience and their own ways of seeing the world."
Exhibition Ready 2026 will be presented alongside UMI Arts' Culture Through Our Eyes 2026, featuring 44 works by 26 First Nations student artists from St Mary's Catholic College, Trinity Bay State High School and Djarragun College.
Together, the exhibitions cap UMI Arts' 2026 exhibition series during the organisation's 21st year, following You & Me, The Summer Series and Freshwater Saltwater, and reflecting UMI Arts' commitment to supporting First Nations artists at different stages of their creative journeys.
The exhibitions will officially open with a free public event and smoking ceremony from 6pm on Friday 2 October at UMI Arts' Jensen Plaza Gallery, Shop 4, 1 Jensen Street, Manoora, and continue until the Friday 26 February 2027.
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