Damien Shen, Little Dragon, 2024. Acrylic on bark (Eucalyptus dalrympleana), 95 x 35cm. Courtesy: the artist and MARS Gallery, Melbourne.

This NAIDOC Week, MARS presents six artists whose unique perspectives and practices reflect the endurance of First Nations cultures, languages and artistic practices.

This year’s NAIDOC week celebrates the fire that keeps burning, a symbol of the sharing of arts and cultural traditions through the generations, making up the rich tapestry of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, communities and traditions.

Collating the contemporary practices of Jenna Lee, Damien Shen, Cassie Sullivan, Carly Tarkari Dodd, Kyle Archie Knight and Steven Rhall, each artist’s unique practice holds a personal, lived experience that is communicated through diverse mediums. Through photography, sculpture, printmaking and weaving, MARS celebrates the voices of six artists who keep the fire burning.

Opening Event: Thursday 4 July, 4 – 6pm.