Baluk Arts is delighted to present its exhibition entitled “Millowl” to launch Berninneit, the new Cowes Cultural Centre.

The exhibition, “an immersive, contemporary Aboriginal art experience exploring spirit and place”, features five of the country’s most talented Aboriginal artists including Bunurong artist Adam Magennis, Nyul Nyul Saltwater man Lowell Hunter (aka ‘Salty One’), Boonwurrung/Barkindji artist Mitch Mahoney, Guringai Saltwater woman Charlie Woods (aka ‘Charlie Needs Braces’), and local Bass Coast resident Dunghutti/Ngayawana artist Patrice Muthaymiles Mahoney AOM.

The exhibition will feature an array of art forms, including a traditionally made stringy bark canoe, contemporary paintings, a sand sculpture and projections, all accompanied by a commissioned musical score.

Each piece in the exhibition carries with it a unique story, connecting the viewer with the artist, in celebration of the spirituality and history of the land, sky, waters, and animals of Millowl.

In the lead up to the exhibition, Baluk Arts ran a series of public activations including a beachside workshop by Salty One at Berry’s Beach.

“For me … the sand is ultimately my canvas … We can learn a lot from understanding how indigenous peoples have looked after and nurtured the lands for countless generations,” they said.

The lead up also included a five-day residency with Mitch Mahoney creating a traditional stringy bark canoe which will feature in the exhibition.

“For us First Nations people, art is a way of passing on knowledge.

“It’s through the making of things, through the telling of those stories that we pass on knowledge to [the next] generation,” Mitch said.

For the musical score, Baluk Arts has commissioned one of the fastest up and coming Aboriginal musicians in the country, Charlie Needs Braces, to create a unique piece that speaks to the artworks in the exhibition and to the island itself.

“There are so many amazing things about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures,” the musician said.

“I hope that [the work] evokes joy, happiness [and] celebrations!”

The opening ceremony will feature a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony by the Bunurong Land Council, providing an opportunity to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land and their enduring connection to it.

Guests will have the privilege of hearing directly from the artists, gaining insights into their creative process and the stories behind their artworks.

The opening will also feature a live performance by Charlie Needs Braces.

Event opening details: Thursday November 2, 6pm – 9pm, at Berninneit, 91-97 Thompson Avenue, Cowes.

The exhibition runs until December 27.

For more information visit www.balukarts.org.au and follow @balukarts on socials.