Winner of First Nations exhibition announced
Published on 19 December 2024
Multidisciplinary artist, Nicole Smede has been named the winner of the inaugural First Nations exhibition at the Shoalhaven Regional Gallery.
The Warrimay and Irish woman won the coveted exhibition with her project Bagandha yanggamba-ngga – ‘Country sings in me,’ produced on Wadi Wadi Dharawal Country.
Ms Smede’s prize also includes a mentorship from renowned Wiradjuri artist, Karla Dickens.
Her work, which explores what it means to be ‘of Country’ through voice, song, sound and poetry, was selected following a recent Expression of Interest (EOI) process advertised by the gallery for talented artists with a strong connection to the Shoalhaven to showcase their work.
“Nicole was an outstanding candidate whose video and sound installation honours the deep ties between spirit, place, language and song,” said Gallery Director, Dr Zanny Begg.
“We were moved by her work which was undertaken in collaboration and consultation with community and features Elders and custodians of the Mudingaal Yangamba choir,” she said.
“We are excited to exhibit Ms Smede’s project at the Gallery in 2025. I encourage the community to visit and learn more about the origins of traditional languages through her powerful body of work.”
Ms Smede is a trained vocalist who has performed and recorded repertoire from classical, rock and contemporary music through to film and other media. Her voice has been heard on Triple J, globally on award-winning film scores, and graced the stages of City Retail Hall, Parliament House, MONA FOMA festival, galleries and venues across Australia.
In her arts practice, she has created meditations, songs, soundscapes and music for podcasts, plays, ensembles and choirs. She is a published poet who has also exhibited video and sound installations at NSW Parliament House, SCA Gallery, Sydney, QUT Art Museum, Brisbane, and Jennings Kerr, Robertson.
Ms Smede has been the recipient of numerous awards and prizes including the Shoalhaven Arts Board Grant, Australia Council’s Space to Create Music residency, APRA AMCOS Women in Music Program, Ngarra-Burria First People’s Composers program, Sweatshop’s Hage Award, South Coast Writers Centre Emerging Writers Program, and a Finalist in the Newcastle Poetry Prize, and Meroogal Women’s Art Prize.
Ms Smede is also a member of Nowra-based Yuin women’s choir, Mudjingaal Yangamba.
Bagandha yanggamba-ngga - ‘Country sings in me’ will be at the Shoalhaven Regional Gallery from 24 May to 19 July 2025.