Yarns with Gami Ollie George

Leeann Merritt_Ollie looking proud of himself on a horse

NEW EXHIBITION: Nganang Badimaya Wangga – Yarns with Gami Ollie George

A new exhibition opening at Moran Gallery Sylvania celebrates the language, art and culture from mid-west Western Australia. Opening the exhibition will be Aboriginal Elder, Gami Ollie George who is the current National NAIDOC Male Elder of the Year and the last known fluent speaker of the Badimaya language. The exhibition features artwork of 14 Aboriginal Artists from Badimaya and Yamaji country.

Nganang Badimaya Wangga will be officially opened at the Moran Gallery Sylvania on Wednesday 20 June 2018. The exhibition will be open to the public from 21 June to 12 August (covering NAIDOC week 8 to 15 July), 10am to 4pm daily with free entry.

Recognised for his work to record and preserve his Badimaya language over the last number of decades, 82-year-old Ollie George helps to preserve and share the Badimaya language with the world. The artworks depict a collection of yarns about growing up and living on Badimaya country.

“Working with Ollie, the project has brought together language speakers, linguists and Badimaya and other Yamaji artists to create a lasting legacy of the language through art and a full-colour Badimaya-English book. The book also features an audio-reader pen, which allows readers to hear the stories in language as spoken by Gami Ollie” said Brendan Penzer, exhibition curator.

Artists: Leeann Merritt, Nadine Taylor, Sonya Edney, Charmaine Green, Sherryl Green, Andrea Green Ugle, Barbara Merritt, Kevin Merritt, Margaret Simpson, Astrid Walsh, Elizabeth Anne Walsh, Frank Walsh Jnr, Mr Walsh (dec.), Margaret Whitehurst.

Exhibition details:
Moran Gallery: 29 Sylvania Road, Sylvania NSW 2224. Tel: 02 9532 6222
Opening night: Wednesday 20 June 2018, 6pm to 8pm
Exhibition: Thursday 21 June to 12 August 2018 inc.
Opening Hours: Daily, 10am – 4pm, Free Entry

The Moran Gallery in collaboration with Hazelhurst Arts Centre, presents a series of exhibitions which aim to enrich the day to day life of Moran Aged Care residents; their families and the community. The Gallery showcases Australia’s emerging and established artists allowing residents and visitors to experience first-hand the range of diversity of Australian art.

The Moran Aged Care, lifestyle and leisure programs encourage residents to explore their own creativity through workshops conducted by the artists on display. The Moran Health Care Group is also a major supporter of Hazelhurst Arts Centre as a Principal Partner supporting active arts programs for the community.

(top) Leeann Merritt, Ollie looking proud of himself on a horse, 2016, acrylic on canvas. (bottom) Ollie George at the Kirkalock book launch (with linguists James Bednall and Rosie Sitorus and Irra Wangga Language Centre Coordinator Jennifer Gregory in background)

For media enquiries contact:

Anne Samuel
Marketing Manager
Moran Health Care Group
T: 0418 136 066
anne.samuel@morangroup.com.au