Artist Showcase | Naomi Hobson

Language groups: Kaantju/Umpila

Naomi Hobson was born in 1978 and lives and works in the remote Cape York Peninsula community of Coen, Queensland. Hobson works in a range of media, including painting, ceramics, and photography.

Growing up in Coen, Hobson has a deep knowledge of her Country and the stories of her ancestors. Through her art she also likes to explore the little things around her – the things that often go unnoticed or are hidden by nature. For Hobson, using different media allows her to re-define rather than recycle ideas and concepts through her artworks.

Hobson’s first exhibition was in 2013. Since then, she has received numerous prizes and awards, and her work is represented in major national and international public and private collections. She is represented by Art House Gallery, Sydney. 

The Cairns Art Gallery has commissioned three series of photographs that have received national and international acclaim. In 2019 the Gallery commissioned a group of twenty photographic portraits of young people in Coen for the exhibition Adolescent Wonderland.

In 2021, the Gallery commissioned the 1 January series for the exhibition Ritual - the past in the present which was donated by the artist to the Gallery. The most recent commission was in 2024 for an exhibition of Hobson’s work at the Gallery, Life on the River. There are 18 works by Hobson in the Collection, including the Foundation’s purchase of an early Hobson painting, Big Place 2014.

In the same year, the Art Gallery of South Australia presented a major survey exhibition of Hobson’s Adolescent Wonderland series that included the first 20 works commissioned by the Cairns Art Gallery. A major publication on the series was produced and the series continues to be exhibited nationally and internationally.

Hobson is represented in the Gallery’s online First Nation Research Archive developed as part of the Gallery’s online Legacy Archive produced to celebrate the Gallery’s 30th anniversary.

Solo Exhibition | Highlighted works

Naomi Hobson: Life on the River
8 Jun – 1 Sep 2024

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Naomi HOBSON, b.1978, Kaantju/Umpila, Fragility from the Life On The River series, 2024,pigment print on archival cotton rag paper, 75 x 113 cm, Courtesy of the artist Naomi HOBSON, b.1978, Kaantju/Umpila, Delicate from the Life On The River series, 2024, pigment print on archival cotton rag paper, 75 x 113 cm, Courtesy of the artist Naomi HOBSON, b.1978, Kaantju/Umpila, Still from the Life On The River series, 2024, pigment print on archival cotton rag paper, 75 x 113 cm, Courtesy of the artist Naomi HOBSON, b.1978, Kaantju/Umpila, Guidance II from the Life On The River series, 2024, pigment print on archival cotton rag paper, 75 x 113 cm, Courtesy of the artist

 

 

Naomi Hobson: Adolescent Wonderland
17 May – 11 Aug 2019

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Naomi Hobson, Orange “This one’s ripped but e’right, e’goes” Baziem, 2019, digital print, Courtesy of the artist Naomi Hobson, Road Play "She told mum she was taking me for a ride down the road but she not." Laine, 2019, digital print, Courtesy of the artist Naomi Hobson, A Bed No-more “I knew I would find him back here… he still thinking about our flower garden we use to have, aye Mick? And over there was where we tried to grow vegetables, beans and pumpkin." Mark, 2019, digital print, Courtesy of the artist Naomi Hobson, Young Love “We been going out for nearly 12 months now. Kurtis is from Pormpaaraw. You know them Shortjoe mob? well that’s his mob." Ratarni, 2019, digital print, Courtesy of the artist Naomi Hobson, Daley’s Bike “Ms. Daley, the kindergarten teacher has a flash black bike, it’s them olden-style one. Every time I drop Erica off at kindy, I always check it out.” Kayla, 2019, digital print, Courtesy of the artist Naomi Hobson, What time Mr. Wolf “We leaving soon, going shop for buy smoke and drink before shop close, what time there Mr. Wolf?” Uncle Jimmy, 2019, digital print, Courtesy of the artist Naomi Hobson, Baby Pink “It’s her favourite colour.” Kayla, 2019, digital print, Courtesy of the artist Naomi Hobson, Play for FUN “We always muck-around play music. Keep everybody wake on this street, make them feel good.” Davis, 2019, digital print, Courtesy of the artist

 

 

Group Exhibitions | Highlighted Works

Staged Photography
22 Apr – 11 Jun 2023

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Naomi Hobson, Young Love (We been going out for nearly 12 months now. Kurtis is from Pormpaaraw. You know them Shortjoe mob? well that’s his mob. Ratarni) from the Adolescent Wonderland series, 2019, digital print, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2019 Naomi Hobson, Time Joe (What time there Joe? Can’t take too long… have to go shop soon before it closes at four, pick my supply up for the weekend. Jimmy) from the Adolescent Wonderland series 2019, digital print, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2019 Naomi Hobson, The God Child from the January First series, 2020-21, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, Road Play (She told mum she was taking me for a ride down the road but she not. Laine) from the Adolescent Wonderland series 2019, digital print, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2019

FACELESS Transforming Identity: Blak/Black Artists from North Australia, Africa and the African Diaspora 
25 Jun – 2 Oct 2022

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Naomi Hobson, Fantastic 3 “Where the party at...?” Harry from the Adolescent Wonderland (Revisited) series 2020, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, River Mermaid “I’m here with my Mum, she over there fishing. I don’t feel like fishing. I just wanted to come down the river to play fun.” Veronay from the Adolescent Wonderland (Revisited) series 2020, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, Easter Man “Easter was last week man...!” Dylan from the Adolescent Wonderland (Revisited) series 2020, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, KFC Girls “...too early for photos, we haven’t done our hair first!” Leija from the Adolescent Wonderland (Revisited) series 2020, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore

 

FNQ Contemporaries 2022
29 Jan – 6 Mar 2022

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Naomi Hobson, Where the Rain Fell, 2021, synthethic polymer paint on linen, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore

 

RITUAL: the past in the present
15 May – 22 Aug 2021

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Naomi Hobson, The God Brothers from the January First series, 2020-21, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, The Promised One from the January First series, 2020-21, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, The Grandmother and The God Son from the January First series, 2020-21, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, The Great Grandmother from the January First series, 2020-21, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, The Great Grandmother from the January First series, 2020-21, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, The God Daughter from the January First series, 2020-21, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, The God Son from the January First series, 2020-21, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore Naomi Hobson, The God Child from the January First series, 2020-21, digital print, Courtesy of the artist and ReDot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore

 

FNQ Contemporaries 2021
5 Feb – 13 Mar 2021

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Cairns Art Gallery installation image

Reimagining: 
between tradition and innovation 

17 Oct 2020 – 10 Jan 2021

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Naomi Hobson, Iwayi 2019, Terracotta, white slip glaze, Collection of the artist, Courtesy of Redot Fine Art Gallery Naomi Hobson, Iwayi 2019, Terracotta, white slip glaze, Collection of the artist, Courtesy of Redot Fine Art Gallery Naomi Hobson, Iwayi 2019, Terracotta, white slip glaze, Collection of the artist, Courtesy of Redot Fine Art Gallery Naomi Hobson, Tapil (Shovel-nose Shark) 2020, Terracotta, white slip glaze, Collection of the artist, Courtesy of Redot Fine Art Gallery

Shifting the Narrative: Alternative Histories
27 Jun – 10 Oct 2020

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Naomi Hobson, A Bed No-more (I knew I would find him back here… he still thinking about our flower garden we use to have, aye Mick? And over there was where we tried to grow vegetables, beans and pumpkin. Mark) from the Adolescent Wonderland series, 2019, digital print, Purchased Cairns Art Gallery, 2019

ARTNOW FNQ 2015
27 Nov 2015 – 17 Feb 2016

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Naomi Hobson Reflections, 2015, synthetic polymer paint on linen, Courtesy of the artist and Alcaston Gallery Naomi Hobson, Old Man Moon, 2015, synthetic polymer paint on linen, Courtesy of the artist and Alcaston Gallery

 

Out of Queensland:
New Indigenous Textiles

17 Jul – 13 Sep 2015 

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Naomi Hobson, Pa'ii (Three sisters) 2015. Cairns Art Gallery Collection. Out of Queensland: New Indigenous Textiles install 2015, Cairns Art Gallery Out of Queensland: New Indigenous Textiles install 2015, Cairns Art Gallery

 

 

Collection Works

 

Resources | Publications

 

 

 

The Cairns Art Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, names or voices of deceased persons in photographs, film or text.