Mulgrave Building

Spirits in the Ink showcases the extensive archive of Djumbunji Press Kick Arts Fine Art Printmaking, a hub for printmaking by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Far North Queensland, that was active from 2009 to 2014. Shown alongside selected works from the Cairns Art Gallery Collection and selected loans, the works in this exhibition showcase the rich and diverse cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists in the region, expressing their strong and vast cultural connection to Country. The exhibition has been developed in partnership with NorthSite Contemporary Arts in Gimuy/Cairns and City of Moreton Bay Galleries.

From emerging artists through to leading practitioners, the artists represented in this exhibition explore traditional and contemporary visual elements in a variety of techniques and styles, expressing their unique stories through the medium of print. Spirits in the Ink was first exhibited at Caboolture Regional Art Gallery in 2024, and then at Redcliffe Art Gallery in 2025 and tells the compelling story of First Nations printmaking in Far North Queensland.

Artists include Edna Ambrym, Ruben Ambrym, Valmai Ambrym, Betty Andy, Daniel Beeron, Theresa Beeron, Samuel Clarmont, Nancy Cowan, Daphne De Jersey, Nephi Denham, Carl ‘Marun’ Fourmile, Gerald Fourmile, Lillian Fourmile, Njrami Fourmile, Seith ‘Gudju Gudju’ Fourmile, Tamika Grant-Iramu, Raymond Harris, Chris Kennedy, Doris Kinjun, Glen Mackie (Kei Kalak), Margaret Mara (nee De Jersey), Arone Meeks, Billy Missi, Alison Murray, Debra Murray, Emily Murray, John Murray, Ninney Murray, Sally Murray, Napoleon Oui, Robert Tommy Pau, Grace Reid, Brian Robinson, Teho Ropeyarn, Joel Sam, Zane Saunders, Shanoah Shepard, Eileen Tep, Alick Tipoti, Brian Underwood, Philomena Yeatman.

– Curated by Aven Noah Jr

Spirits in the Ink is a collaborative exhibition between City of Moreton Bay and NorthSite Contemporary Arts. Curated by Aven Noah Jr