Artists

Rosella Namok

Born: 1979 Lockhart River QLD Region: Eastern Cape York Peninsula Language: Aangkum (Ungkum) Lives and works: Cairns, QLD Rosella Namok first appeared on the contemporary art scene in the late 1990s as a prominent member of the renowned Lockhart River ‘Art Gang’. Growing up she experienced traditional practices - such as attending ceremonies, camping, fishing, gathering berries and shellfish - within and around Lockhart River, Claudie River, Quintell Beach, Chilli Beach and the Iron Range (Kutini-Payamu) National Park. With an extensive history exhibiting nationally and Internationally, Rosella has been living and working in Cairns as well as more recently completing major commissions in Brisbane studios. Her paintings continue to reflect both traditional stories and contemporary themes across cultural and social concerns with candid observations about changing lifestyles and the environment. Through a technique developed by watching her grandmother drawing in the sand, Rosella often creates patterned, linear arrangements by pulling her fingers through the layers of paint. Through her choice of colour and composition Rosella explores the broader, universal dualities of life; the macro (lore & culture) and the micro (family & self), the traditional and the modern and even the land and sea. Since 2019 Rosella has been working with a Brisbane team to translate these stories into sculptural forms. This began with smaller ‘table sculpture’ prototypes and has grown to include a range of Selfie sculptures constructed with PVC & 2 pac colours as well as a major bronze floor works. Rosella Namok has been collected by all major State and National Galleries including The High Court of Australia in Canberra. From The artist and Fireworks gallery

Born: 1979 Lockhart River QLD

Region: Eastern Cape York Peninsula

Community: Lockhart River

Language: Aangkum (Ungkun)

 

EXHIBITIONS—SOLO

2023 Meet Rosella Namok, Flying Arts Judith Wright Building Brisbane

2022 Regrowth FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2019 Sand Scribe FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2018 Nature’s Way FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2017 Weather Patterns II FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2015 Weather Patterns FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2014 New Moon in the City FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2012 YangkuyiWet Season Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Gallery Sydney

2009 Rosella Namok Hogarth Galleries Sydney

2008 Rosella Namok Niagara Galleries Melbourne 

2008 Rosella Namok – From Sand Beach Side Hogarth Galleries Sydney

2007 Sea Country Hogarth Galleries Sydney 

2007 Ngaachi Bla Mepla Andrew Baker Art Dealer Brisbane

2006 Up North Niagara Galleries Melbourne Hogarth Galleries Sydney

2005 My Puuya my life essence Andrew Baker Art Dealer Brisbane 

2005 Rosella Namok Hogarth Galleries Sydney 

2005 Rosella Namok – New Works Adele Boag Gallery Adelaide

2004 Rosella Namok at The Essoign Club Melbourne 

2004 Kungkay Ma (Up North) Andrew Baker Art Dealer Brisbane 

2004 other side October Gallery London England 

2004 Rosella Namok – New Work Hogarth Galleries Sydney 

2004 Rosella Namok Niagara Galleries at the Essoign Club Melbourne

2003 Rosella Hogarth Galleries Sydney Niagara Galleries Melbourne

2002 Tinta at Hogarth Galleries Paddington 

2002 Happen’ this way Andrew Baker Art Dealer Brisbane

2001 Ee Right This Way Hogarth Galleries Paddington 

2001 melpa sarbie paint Andrew Baker Art Dealer Brisbane

2000 I come from ”yah Hogarth Galleries Sydney 

2000 Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi Melbourne

1999 ’bout hereLockhart River Hogarth Galleries Sydney

 

EXHIBITIONS—GROUP

2023 Evidence of Scale III: Drawing & Sculpture, FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2023 Lineage Despard Gallery, Hobart

2022 In Review FireWorks Gallery, Brisbane

2022 Which Way? Despard Gallery, Hobart

2021  Shorelines FireWorks Gallery, Brisbane

2021  Which Way? FireWorks Gallery, Brisbane

2021  Lockhart River Artists Despard Gallery, Hobart

2020  Twelve Ways FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2020  Twelve Artists FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2020 Sunshine Coast Art Prize Caloundra Regional Gallery

2020 Black & White 2020 FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2020  Lockhart Art Gang – Sharing Our Stories, Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney

2019  Tattersall’s Landscape Art Prize Tattersall’s Club Brisbane

2019  Across the Top, Art Mob, Hobart

2019  Overcoming Adversity, Art Mob, Hobart

2019  Lunar Legacy, Art Mob, Hobart

2019  Matches 7: Michael Nelson Jagamara – A Shared Space, FireWorks Gallery, Brisbane 

2019  Lockhart Legends Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney 

2019  defining tradition | black + white Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney 

2019  International Women’s Day Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney 

2019  Defining Tradition | the colourists Kate Owen Gallery, Sydney

2019  Stories from my heart – Which Way Art Mob, Hobart 

2019  On the Coast – The Art of Fiona Omeenyo & Rosella Namok Japingka Gallery, Fremantle

2019  Tjanpi Desert Weavers and three Indigenous women painters Despard Gallery Hobart

2018 Welcome to Thompson Street FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2018 Tattersall’s Landscape Art Prize Tattersall’s Club Brisbane

2019 Tjanpi Desert Weavers and three Indigenous women painters Despard Gallery Hobart

2017 Sand, Salt & Spirit Coo-ee Art Gallery Sydney

2017 60 X√30 FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2017 Sydney Contemporary Art Fair Sydney

2017 Weather Patterns II FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2017 Tattersall’s Landscape Art Prize Tattersall’s Club Brisbane

2016 She Walks the Line Part 1 FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2015 Weather Patterns FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2014 – 2017 Saltwater Country travelling exhibition developed in partnership between Museums & Galleries Queensland and Gold Coast City Gallery. Curated by Michael Aird and Virginia Rigney. Gold Coast City Gallery, Australian Embassy Washington USA, AAMU Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Art Utrecht Netherlands, Manly Art Gallery and Museum, Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum, Cairns Regional Gallery, Grafton Regional Art Gallery, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, Western Plains Cultural Centre, Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, State Library of Queensland.

2014 QLD Gals FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2014 Tattersall’s Landscape Art Prize Tattersall’s Club Brisbane

2014 Melbourne Art Fair Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne

2014 Asia Contemporary Art Show Conrad Hong Kong

2014 The Long Hot Summer: Group Exhibition FireWorks Gallery Brisbane

2012 The Bright The Bold & The Beautiful Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Gallery Sydney

2011 Rosella Namok and Arone Meeks Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Gallery Sydney

2009 Summer Show 2009 Hogarth Galleries Sydney

2008 Summer Show Hogarth Gallery Sydney

2007 Arte Indigena Dall’Australia: Contemporary Indigenous Art of the Lockhart River Art

2004 Wynne Prize Exhibition Art Gallery of NSW Sydney

2004 Land/Space + Family/Place Art Gallery of Western Australia Perth 

2004 Hot Hotter Hottest Booker Lowe Gallery Houston Texas USA 

2004 HANG 12 A Clean Ocean Foundation travelling exhibition

2004 The George White Bar St Kilda Victoria

2004 Christie’s Fine Art Auctioneers Sydney

2004 QUT Art Museum Indigenous Art Collection: Works from the Oodgeroo Collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Queensland University of Technology Brisbane

2003 Story Place Indigenous Art of Cape York and the Rainforest Queensland Art Gallery Brisbane

2003 Ngaachi Ngampula (Our Country) Hogarth Galleries Sydney

2003 Beneath the Monsoon Visions North of Capricorn Artspace MacKay

2003 20th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Darwin

2003 The High Court of Australia Centenary Art Prize The High Court of Australia Canberra

2003 Water: Prints from Lockhart River and the Tiwi Islands Queensland University of Technology Art Museum Brisbane

2003 Contemporary Aboriginal Paintings from Lockhart River Columbus State University Columbus Georgia USA

2003 Kulam Kannga (Beginning): New works by the Lockhart River Art Gang The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USA

2003 Grosse Kunstausstellung 2003 – Museum Kunst Palast Düsseldorf Germany

2003 Icons That Build a Collection Cairns Regional Gallery Cairn

2003 The Year in Art S R Irwin Gallery Sydney

2003 Artworks from FNQ + Torres Strait Islands Artworkers Alliance Brisbane

2003 Big Art Small Viewer: celebrating children as artists University of Queensland Art Gallery Brisbane

2003 Lockhart River Gang Gallery Gondwana Alice Springs

2002–04 Wild Nature in Contemporary Australian Art and Craft a travelling exhibition

2002 The Queensland/Berlin Indigenous Art Exhibition Ludwig Erhard Haus Berlin Germany

2002 Indigenous Highlights from the State Art Collection Art Gallery of Western Australia Perth

2002 Indecorous Abstraction: Contemporary Women Painters Light Square Gallery Adelaide

2002 Telstra 19th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory

2002 Message Stick: Journey’s End Andrew Baker Art Dealer Brisbane

2002 Collectable Aboriginal Art Event Raintree Aboriginal Fine Art Gallery Darwin 

2002 International Womens’ Day Event Vivien Anderson Gallery Melbourne

2002 New Ground Main Street Gallery Hahndorf Adelaide

2001 Dreamtime: Zeitgenossische Aboriginal Art / The Dark and the Light Sammlung Essl Klosterneuburg Austria

2001 Wynne Prize Exhibition Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney

2001 Lines of Descent: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Prints and Objects Queensland University of Technology Art Museum Brisbane

2001 Federation Exhibition: Local Colour Local Lives Cairns Regional Gallery Queensland

2001 Gatherings Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Brisbane

2001 A few of my favourite things Fireworks Gallery Brisbane

2001 In my eyes: an exhibition of fine art prints by the Lockhart River Art Gang and Friends Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery Cooktown Queensland

2001 Cape York Art Awards Laura Festival Laura Postcard Exhibition Cairns Regional Gallery

2001 Masterworks Vivien Anderson Gallery Melbourne Gatherings Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Brisbane

2001 Bra Joe from Kilimanjaro University of Queensland Art Museum Brisbane

2000 The Fifth National Indigenous Heritage Art Award Old Parliament House ACT

2000 Parma Belong Sandbeach: paintings and prints by the Lockhart River Art Gang Queensland Aboriginal Creations Brisbane

2000 Lockhart River Print Exhibition Cairns Regional Gallery Queensland 

2000 Uncommon World: Aspects of Contemporary Australian Art National Gallery of Australia Canberra 

2000 Beyond the Pale: Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art Art Gallery of South Australia Adelaide

2000 Fortitude: New Art from Queensland Queensland Art Gallery Brisbane 

2000 Telstra 17th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory and travelling 

2000 Postcards Exhibition Cairns Regional Gallery Queensland

2000 In my eyes: an exhibition of fine art prints by the Lockhart River Art Gang and Friends Cairns Regional Gallery Queensland

2000 Olympic Exhibition Hogarth Galleries Sydney

2000 From the top: Lockhart River paintings by Samantha Hobson and Rosella Namok Andrew Baker Art Dealer Brisbane

1999 23rd Biennial of Graphic Art Lubljana Slovenia International Works on Paper Fair Sydney

1999 Postcard Exhibition Cairns Regional Gallery Queensland

1999 Lockhart River Art Gang ‘we searching’ Queensland Aboriginal Creations Brisbane

1999-2001 Message Stick: Art from North Queensland Lockhart River Aboriginal Community Queensland Aboriginal Creations Brisbane and touring (co-ordinated by Visions Australia)

1998 National Indigenous Art of Place Award Old Parliament House Canberra

1998 Telstra 15th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory and travelling

1997 Mepla Sarbie Art with the Lockhart River Art Gang Lockhart River Art and Culture Centre Queensland

1997 ngana nyllkana us painting with the Lockhart River Art Gang Cairns Regional Gallery Queensland

1997 Rena Ellen Jones Award Warrnambool Art Gallery Victoria

 

AWARDS

2004 High Court Centenary Art Award High Court of Australia Canberra 2003 Winner of the Redlands Westpac Art Prize Sydney

2000 Lin Onus Youth Award The Fifth National Indigenous Heritage Art Award

1999 Most innovative product by an indigenous artist (a set of stainless steel Sea Country Bookmarks) Momento Awards Brisbane

1999 Works on Paper (Second Prize) Cape York Art Awards Laura Festival

1999 Nominated for Young Australian of the Year Arts Section

1998 Member of the Lockhart River Art Gang which won the National Heritage Commission Art of Place Community Endeavour Award

1997 Rena Allen Jones Award Warrnambool Art Gallery Victoria: screenprint selected for acquisition

1997 Personal Development Grant Arts Queensland

 

COLLECTIONS

Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney

Art Gallery of South Australia Adelaide

Art Gallery of Western Australia Perth

ATSIC Collection Canberra

Australian Heritage Commission Canberra

Brisbane Club Brisbane 

Cairns Regional Gallery Cairns

Columbus State University Georgia USA

Emerald Shire Council Queensland

Federal Court of Australia Brisbane

Flinders University Adelaide

International Education Services Brisbane

Macquarie University Sydney

Monash University Melbourne

National Gallery of Australia Canberra

National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne

Northern Territory University Darwin

Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Brisbane

Queensland Health Rights Commission Brisbane

Queensland University of Technology Brisbane

State Library of Queensland Brisbane

The Esk Collection Tasmania

The High Court of Australia Canberra

The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USA

University of Queensland Art Collection Brisbane

Warrnambool Art Gallery Victoria

Wollongong University NSW

 

COMMISSIONS

Private – Australia and USA