CURRENT EXHIBITIO: The Next Generation

EXHIBITION: 10/07/25 – 07/09/25

EXHIBITION OPENING: Thursday 10 July, 2025

(in conjunction with NAIDOC Week)

TIME: 6pm – 7.30pm

WHERE: Red Earth Arts Precinct Foyers, 27 Welcome Road Karratha WA

The Next Generation

In honour of NAIDOC Week 2025, The Next Generation is a vibrant celebration of First Nations culture, creativity, and connection – recognising 50 years of amplifying Indigenous voices while championing the artists of tomorrow.

This exhibition brings together emerging and established artists, including works from Spinifex Hill Studio, local creatives, and pieces from the City of Karratha’s collection. This intergenerational dialogue honours the wisdom and stories passed down while embracing new interpretations and creative futures.

Included in this exhibition is a collaborative community artwork created during the Karratha School Holiday Creative Workshops, where young people explored creativity, identity, and storytelling under the guidance of Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi artist and educator Sheryl Hicks. These drop-in painting sessions welcomed youth of all ages to freely express themselves, learn through doing, and be part of something bigger than any one artwork.

These workshops provided vibrant, open spaces for sharing and cultural expression. Each painting contributes to a collective vision shaped by Karratha’s next generation.

Whether it’s a young person’s first time with a paintbrush or a seasoned artist’s latest reflection, The Next Generation is a living story of community, creativity, and continuity – where legacy inspires innovation, and vision leads the way forward.

What is NAIDOC Week?

NAIDOC Week is a time to celebrate, connect, and continue walking together toward a more inclusive and culturally rich future. As an annual celebration of the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, celebrations are held in the first week of July, and it invites all Australians to learn, reflect, and stand in solidarity – honouring the world’s oldest living cultures through community events, art, music, storytelling, and ceremony.

In 2025, we mark 50 years of NAIDOC with the theme:
The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy. This theme celebrates the emerging cultural custodians of tomorrow, while acknowledging the strength and wisdom passed down through generations.

To find out more about NAIDOC Week, visit http://www.naidoc.org.au

Exhibition artists

BANYJI (PANSY) CHEEDY

Banyji (Pansy) Cheedy is a Yindjibarndi Elder, cultural custodian, and respected artist. She is the daughter of Yindjibarndi teacher and Elder, Ned Mayaringbungu Cheedy, and renowned Yindjibarndi plant specialist, Cherry Cheedy. Born out bush on Coolawanyah Station, Banyji grew up with her parents and siblings at Hooley Station and moved to Roebourne in 1959. Since 2010, Banyji has been painting with acrylic on canvas, and more recently has extended her art practice to include stitched works on linen, stitched acrylic paintings, woven fibre works, and Yarranga Marni works on carved boards.

Her art celebrates the plants, animals, water and creation stories of Yindjibarndi Country and culture. Banyji’s artworks have been featured in exhibitions in Perth including Revealed: New and Emerging WA Aboriginal Artists at Fremantle Arts Centre, Hanging by a Thread at Holmes à Court Gallery, Colours of our Country, and Ngurra Nyingu, and she has been a regular finalist at the Cossack Art Awards, winning Best Work by a WA Indigenous Artist in 2014.

“Being an artist for me, I enjoy being with other people. Doing different things, seeing different art pieces that people create. Sharing ideas… it inspires me…
I paint memories of the things that I grew up with and it gives me a sense of satisfaction in my spirit. Not being able to go back to homeland, it’s about having that on canvas. I have lots of memories that are good ones. They bring back a sense of peace in your spirit.” – Banyji (Pansy) Cheedy, 2021

ROBERT YATES

Robert Yates is a freelance photographer deeply connected to Yued Country, whose work is rooted in memory and connection to place. Born in Moora, his mother’s Country, and a proud member of the Yued tribe, Robert is also part of the Stolen Generations. His father is from Country near Lake Grace, and since 1988 Robert has called Roebourne home.

Moving to Roebourne was a turning point in Robert’s life. It was there that he found the freedom to express himself creatively. In 2005, he picked up his first camera, an old film model, and began capturing the world around him. His photography reflects a deep appreciation for nature and place, including landscapes, ocean, wildlife, machinery, flowers, old buildings, and more recently, the moon and sweeping views from hilltops.

In addition to photography, Robert finds joy and freedom in music, which has always been an important form of expression for him. Through his creative practices, he shares stories that are both personal and universal, inviting others to connect with Country, memory, and identity.

CoK COLLECTION

Included are 4 pieces from the City of Karratha Collection.

Feature Artists:

+ Wendy Darby

+Treinya Philips

SPINIFEX HILL STUDIO

While the focus of The Next Generation exhibition is on youth and emerging artists, we’ve also included established artists to create space for intergenerational connection, honouring the passing down of knowledge, stories, and culture from one generation to the next.

Artists Include:

+ Daisy Tinker

+ Maggie Green

+ Nyangulya Katie Nalgood

+ Olive Joseph

+ Maywokka Chapman

KARRATHA YOUTH

See the Works

For more information:
Email: hello@thejunctionco.com.au
Phone: 08 9141 0041

The Red Earth Arts Precinct Exhibition Program is managed by The Junction Co. on behalf of the City of Karratha. This program is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Rio Tinto and the support of the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) Culture and the Arts WA, as part of their RETB Regional Arts Sector Capacity Building funding program for 2023 to 2027.