CULTURE CLUB A welcome place

By Sonia Isaacs

Open Studios

• When: Two weekends, May 20-21 and 27-28

• Where: Across the Sunshine Coast and hinterland openstudiossunshinecoast.com.au/

MUNIMBA-JA (meaning welcome place) is the only Indigenous owned and operated art gallery on the Sunshine Coast. Highlighting the work of contemporary Aboriginal artists, the Maleny based studio, shopfront and gallery is located on unceded Jinibara Country. Gallery Co-founder and artist Libby Harward, a Ngugi woman of the Quandamooka people (Moreton Bay) has developed an arts practice that is both provocative and thought provoking. Spanning well over 20 years, her work cultivates cultural awareness, political activism, and artistic agitation. As well as being director of the gallery, Libby facilitates professional development and networking programs including Blak Creatives, an artistic, cultural, and safe online gathering space open to Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people who are connected to, working with or live on Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country.

“These professional development programs allow us to leverage our black creatives sector on our own terms, and offer value, meaning and an opportunity for critical artistic analysis,” explained Libby.

Libby said throughout her life she had always been creative and in her earlier years much of her work focussed on street and graffiti art. Under the moniker of MZ Murricod, for over a decade, Libby expressed herself as a graffiti artist before transitioning from street art to contemporary political Aboriginal art in 2017.

Libby said a key catalyst for her refocus was attending an indigenous run arts camp which inspired her to rethink her practice.

“It gave me the opportunity to connect deeply with established indigenous artists which was incredibly empowering, and that gave me confidence and provoked critical thinking skills to help me move into the political arts practice sphere,” said Libby. Libby said her culture was remarkably diverse and there was so much more to aboriginal art than just dot paintings. She said through her gallery she hoped to lift up mob and artists, and support them to create and showcase their work. Sound performance, installations and experimental practice form a part of Libby’s practice, as well as work in the relational arts practice and collaborative Black feminism space.

During Open Studios Sunshine Coast, Munimba-ja gallery will be open as part of the Hinterland Art Trails on May 19-21 from 10am-4pm as well May 25-27.

Libby said during the Open Studios event, the gallery will feature Blak Creatives work and interactive experiences including in studio play and performances, ad hoc workshops for weaving and jewellery making and the opportunity for yarning.

Munimba-ja gallery is at 20 Coral Street, Maleny, for more details about the Open Studios Sunshine Coast program visit