August 1, 2025
50 Artists: 50 Years celebrates five decades of Illawarra and Australian art
Exhibition features works by renowned artists including Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Gloria Petyarre and Paul Ryan
From steel-forged wall sculptures to large-scale paintings and delicate works on paper, 50 Artists: 50 Years showcases an artistic legacy that has played a pivotal role in shaping the 榴莲视频app of 榴莲视频app’s (UOW) cultural identity over the past five decades.
“50 Artists: 50 Years celebrates not just creative brilliance, but the heart and soul of the 榴莲视频app of 榴莲视频app. Each piece tells a story, and together they reflect generations of artists, educators, students and community members who have shaped the creative identity of this 榴莲视频app," UOW Vice-Chancellor and President Professor G.Q. Max Lu said.
Opening today (Thursday 31 July 2025) as part of UOW's 50th anniversary celebrations, the exhibition showcases works by 50 locally, nationally and internationally recognised artists, including distinguished alumni and staff.
Co-curated by artist and UOW researcher and UOW Art Collection Manager Phillippa Webb, 50 Artists: 50 Years highlights the vibrant diversity and significance of the UOW Art Collection, featuring an array of works that tell powerful stories of people, places, and connections.
Included in the exhibition is the artwork that started the UOW Art Collection, Ivan Englund’s ‘Port Kembla Landscape’, which was presented as a gift by senior chemistry students in 1962, before UOW became an independent institution. Other more recent works include ceramic pieces by Coomaditchie founding sisters Aunty Lorraine Brown and Aunty Narelle Thomas, as well as works by Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Gloria Petyarre, Paul Ryan and long-term friends and collaborators Diana Wood Conroy and Dr. B. Marika.
“From the chemistry students donating artworks in the 1960s to thank their science lecturers, to today’s generous donors sharing pieces from their personal collections, we invite the community to explore this exhibition. Each artwork and artist tell a vital story connected to UOW and the Illawarra, revealed through artist statements and didactic panels,” Ms Webb said.
For more information: /events/2025/50-artists--50-years.php
50 ARTISTS: 50 YEARS
When: 50 Artists: 50 Years opens to the public on August 4 and runs until December 10. UOW Art Gallery opening hours are Monday to Wednesday, 10am to 4pm.
Where: UOW Art Gallery, Building 29, 榴莲视频app of 榴莲视频app, Northfields Avenue, 榴莲视频app NSW 2522