Vibrant colours, cultural connection and a passion for Queensland Aboriginal art got Connie Rovina a spot at a prominent Melbourne art gallery. Photo: Stacey Lee Photography.
A Cape York artist on a mission to showcase Queensland’s unique Aboriginal art style has been selected to exhibit at a prominent gallery in Melbourne.
Connie Rovina, a proud Kuku-Thaypan and Widi woman, will showcase her rich cultural heritage and sacred stories passed down through generations at Manyung Gallery Group (MGG) later this year.
The creative force behind WidiWorks Aboriginal Art Gallery in Kuranda, Ms Rovina has established herself as a prominent figure in the art scene with her vibrant colour palettes, intricate details, and evocative storytelling.
Earlier this year, she spoke to Cape York Weekly about the heartbreaking history behind Queensland’s Aboriginal art – how it was plagiarised and sold cheaply, which had driven artists out of the industry and ultimately led to a lack of representation of the state’s specific style.
The artist said each of her creations aims to educate people about Queensland’s style and break the myth that all Aboriginal art is one and the same, adding that showcasing at MGG would help immensely.
“My work is the only Indigenous style they’ve got there,” Ms Rovina said.
“They wanted somebody to represent culture, and they had a look at my work and liked it.
“I’ve been getting work out there, but when a gallery takes you up like this, it’s a really big thing, because they have the means and the know-how to really promote you to the next level.”
Ms Rovina’s pieces are set to reach the eyes of many art lovers, with MGG having five locations across Victoria as one of Australia’s largest and longest-running contemporary art businesses.
“It’s an ongoing representation of my work, so we’re going to start out with the two galleries in Melbourne and see how we go,” she said.
“They’ve invited me to a couple of exhibitions they’re having later this year; one of them is a really big one on the weekend of the Melbourne Cup.
“The director said most of Melbourne turns up [at the Sorrento gallery] for that exhibition, so it’s big, and it means a lot of painting in the meanwhile.”
Ms Rovina said there was potential for this opportunity to take her works overseas to countries that had shown an interest in her art.
“[The director] is already talking about a couple of international tours next year, mainly to the Asian countries, so we’ll see how that one turns out,” she said.
The bold colours of Country shown through a depiction of humpback whales. Artist: Connie Rovina.
