— A Cultural Homecoming at Lismore Regional Gallery
After touring Grafton and Tweed, the culturally resonant Bulaan Buruugaa Ngali …we weave together exhibition concludes its regional journey with a final presentation at Lismore Regional Gallery, on display from 13 September to 9 November 2025.
Curated by Bundjalung artist Kylie Caldwell, the exhibition brings together nine ancestral woven objects—returned to Country from the Australian Museum—with ten newly commissioned works by contemporary artists from Bundjalung, Yaegl, Gumbaynggirr and Kamilaroi (Gamilaraay) nations. It stands as a deeply moving act of cultural reclamation, weaving together heritage, artistry, and community.
Lismore Regional Gallery Director Ashleigh Ralph describes its arrival as “the closing of a circle.” She adds, “As the final stop on its powerful journey across Bundjalung Country, this exhibition offers our community a meaningful opportunity to engage with cultural knowledge that is both ancestral and present”.
The exhibition includes standout works such as Continuous Persistence by Rhoda Roberts AO, crafted from lomandra grass harvested on Country. Roberts notes that weaving is “more than art; it’s an essence of the circular rhythm, something continuous, crafted from the provisions of Country”. Bundjalung artist Bindimu contributes Ngali Yanbala, a sonic installation that evokes the sounds of weaving back home, honouring the ancestral skills passed through generations.
On Saturday, 13 September, the gallery will host an opening event starting at 1pm, followed by a free weaving workshop from 2pm led by Rhoda Roberts AO, Aunty Janelle Duncan, and Tania Marlowe.
Presented by Arts Northern Rivers in partnership with Grafton and Tweed Regional Galleries, this project is made possible through the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support Program, Create NSW, the Dobell Exhibition Grant, and the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund.
This final season in Lismore offers one more chance to witness ancestral weaving traditions reimagined through contemporary voices—an exhibition that truly weaves past, present, and future across Bundjalung Country.
Exhibition Details
Bulaan Buruugaa Ngali Exhibition
Lismore Regional Gallery
13 September – 9 November 2025
Public Programs
Exhibition Opening and Weaving Workshop
Saturday 13 September | 1pm – 4pm
Join Lismore Regional Gallery for an afternoon opening of Bulaan Buruugaa Ngali Exhibition at 1pm, followed by a free weaving workshop from 2pm, guided by exhibition artists Rhoda Roberts AO, Aunty Janelle Duncan and Tania Marlowe.
Weaving Workshop as part of Gathering Space
Sunday 14 September | 1 – 3pm
Guided by Kylie Caldwell, exhibition curator, this monthly gathering space is open to Aboriginal artists and Aboriginal community members to learn, share, create, and collaborate.
