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Tuesday 11am - 5pm Wednesday 11am - 5pm Thursday 11am - 5pm Friday 11am - 5pm Saturday 11am - 5pm

Canberra Contemporary, 44 Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes (2026)

07/10/2026

ARTIST PROFILE: GIANNA CHRISTELLA HAYES

Gianna Christella Hayes was born in Tongva Land/Los Angeles and currently lives and works across Dharug & Gundungurra Country/Western Sydney and Gadigal Land/Sydney. Their multidisciplinary practice spans textiles, film, and immersive installations, often incorporating soil, seeds, plants, and botanical dyes to explore identity, migration, and the reclamation of ancestral diasporic practices disrupted by colonial powers. Hayes has served as a nature pedagogy educator leading youth in nature play immersions at Greater Sydney Parklands & Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, alongside being the founder of Hilum Earth - a living archive and embodied research lab that takes shape through creative botanical workshops and seed swap initiatives to celebrate the interconnection of plants, people and memories. Hayes’ work and workshops have been presented at the Art Gallery of NSW, Powerhouse Museum, Cement Fondue and Runway Journal. In 2025, she was a selected artist for the Altitude Program at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre.

Hayes’ work is currently featured in TAKEAWAY: Tales from The Flavour Superhighway curated by Mariam Ella Arcilla (𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 🪸🪺) and Denise Thwaites (Denise Thwaites) at Canberra Contemporary until 24 October 2026.

Visit the exhibition with a seed and contribute to Hayes’ archival work ‘Capsules of Memory’ 🫘

Gianna Christella Hayes
Hilum

Images: 1.Gianna Christella Hayes headshot, photograph by Justin Nacua. 3+4. Gianna Christella Hayes, ’Capsules of Memory,’ 2026, installation view. 6+7. Gianna Christella Hayes, ‘Fragments That Carry Me,’ 2026, installation view. Photography by Cassie Abraham cassie abraham.

07/10/2026

EXHIBITION OPENING AT PLATFORM

Join us next Thursday, 15 October at 6pm for the opening of ‘Byproducts II’ by Anie Nheu.

Nheu is an Australian artist based in Sydney, working on the unceded lands of the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora Nation. Her practice spans works on paper, painting, and sculptural installation, with a core interest in visual metaphor, explored through transitions of materials, process, and spatial relations. For this body of work, that interest narrows to the tension between impermanence and anchorage, and the work-through processes by which materials arrive at an 'agreement'.

Exhibition dates: 16 October - 8 November 2026
Gallery Hours: Friday - Sunday, 11am - 5pm

Image: Anie Nheu, ‘Between heaven and earth,’ 2026. Hessian sacks, packaging cardboards, plaster, pigment and beeswax. 227 x 340 x 80cm. Photograph by Tina FiveAsh

07/10/2026

ARTIST PROFILE: GIANNA CHRISTELLA HAYES

Gianna Christella Hayes was born in Tongva Land/Los Angeles and currently lives and works across Dharug & Gundungurra Country/Western Sydney and Gadigal Land/Sydney. Their multidisciplinary practice spans textiles, film, and immersive installations, often incorporating soil, seeds, plants, and botanical dyes to explore identity, migration, and the reclamation of ancestral diasporic practices disrupted by colonial powers. Hayes has served as a nature pedagogy educator leading youth in nature play immersions at Greater Sydney Parklands & Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, alongside being the founder of Hilum Earth - a living archive and embodied research lab that takes shape through creative botanical workshops and seed swap initiatives to celebrate the interconnection of plants, people and memories. Hayes' work and workshops have been presented at the Art Gallery of NSW, Powerhouse Museum, Cement Fondue and Runway Journal. In 2025, she was a selected artist for the Altitude Program at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre.

Hayes’ work is currently featured in TAKEAWAY: Tales from The Flavour Superhighway curated by Mariam Ella Arcilla () and Denise Thwaites () at Canberra Contemporary until 24 October 2026.

Visit the exhibition with a seed and contribute to Hayes’ archival work ‘Capsules of Memory’ 🫘

earth

Images: 1.Gianna Christella Hayes headshot, photograph by Justin Nacua. 3+4. Gianna Christella Hayes, ’Capsules of Memory,’ 2026, installation view. 6+7. Gianna Christella Hayes, ‘Fragments That Carry Me,’ 2026, installation view. Photography by Cassie Abraham .

06/10/2026

TAKEAWAY EXHIBITION TALK: NGUNNAWAL FOOD STORIES

Open the lid on TAKEAWAY! Join us at Canberra Contemporary for a free exhibition talk with curators Mariam Ella Arcilla () and Denise Thwaites () and artist Marley Dawson (). Delve into the themes and creative process behind TAKEAWAY: Tales from the Flavour Superhighway, a group show featuring newly-commissioned and seminal works by Marley Dawson, Keg de Souza, Gianna Christella Hayes, Gillian Kayrooz, Zora Pang, Janhavi Salvi, and James Tylor.

Afterwards, enjoy an interactive knowledge-sharing and tasting session with Ngunnawal Kamilaroi custodian Richie Allan (). Learn about First Nations food nourishment and cultivation while sampling locally-sourced Ngunnawal bush foods, taste samples of bread, tea and native energy drinks. 🫖🍂

Registrations are essential for catering purposes. Due to the cultural nature of this event, we are unable to accommodate dietary and allergen requests.

TAKEAWAY exhibition is on show at Canberra Contemporary from 12 September - 24 October 2026, and is presented as part of the 6th Canberra Art Biennial ().

Saturday 17 October
11:00am-1:30pm
Canberra Contemporary
Free | All welcome, booking essential
Link in bio to book 🎫
https://magentahouse.com.au/programs/takeaway-exhibition-talk-tasting-october

This project has received funding support from .australia and the and is presented in partnership with and .redfern

Image: Installation view of TAKEAWAY exhibition. Photograph by Cassie Abraham

06/10/2026

TAKEAWAY EXHIBITION TALK: NGUNNAWAL FOOD STORIES

Open the lid on TAKEAWAY! Join us at Canberra Contemporary for a free exhibition talk with curators Mariam Ella Arcilla (𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 🪸🪺) and Denise Thwaites (Denise Thwaites) and artist Marley Dawson (marleydawson). Delve into the themes and creative process behind TAKEAWAY: Tales from the Flavour Superhighway: a group show featuring newly-commissioned and seminal works by Marley Dawson, Keg de Souza, Gianna Christella Hayes, Gillian Kayrooz, Zora Pang, Janhavi Salvi, and James Tylor.

Afterwards, enjoy an interactive knowledge-sharing and tasting session with Ngunnawal Kamilaroi custodian Richie Allan (TOAC). Learn about First Nations food nourishment and cultivation while sampling locally-sourced Ngunnawal bush foods, taste samples of bread, tea and native energy drinks. 🫖🍂

Registrations are essential for catering purposes. Due to the cultural nature of this event, we are unable to accommodate dietary and allergen requests.

The TAKEAWAY exhibition is on show at Canberra Contemporary from 12 September - 24 October 2026, and is presented as part of the 6th Canberra Art Biennial (Canberra Art Biennial).

 Saturday 17 October
11:00am-1:30pm
Canberra Contemporary Free | Booking essential for catering 🎫
Link in bio to get your spot

This project has received funding support from Creative Australia and the University of Canberra and is presented in partnership with Canberra Art Biennial and MAGENTA HOUSE

Image: James Tylor, ‘Un-resettling (Fish Trap) from the series ‘un-resettling (huntings)’, 2017. Photo courtesy the artist and Vivien Anderson Gallery.

05/10/2026

Are you our new Curator + Program Manager? ✨

Join Canberra Contemporary’s small and dedicated team and help shape the future of contemporary art in Kamberri/Canberra. This ongoing role combines both curatorial and gallery management responsibilities, working across Canberra Contemporary and our project space Platform.

We are looking for someone who is a creative and bold thinker, able to work with care and compassion for a diversity of artists and communities and is invested in shaping contemporary discourse in the region and beyond. As a key member of the team, the Curator + Program Manager is an essential role whose contributions to the Artistic Program will ensure Canberra Contemporary remains relevant, timely, and an industry leader in the field.

Applications close Tuesday 3 November 2026 at 3pm AEDT. For more details, and the full position description, please head to our website.
https://www.canberracontemporary.com.au/work-with-us-canberra-contemporary

Image: Visitors at exhibition opening of ‘The Gardener’s Bar’ by Tamara Henderson, 2026. Photograph by Cassie Abraham.

03/10/2026

NOURISHING CULTURES: TAKEAWAY PUBLIC PROGRAM

Grab a seat on Saturday 17 October as we journey by bus to explore food cultivation, regenerative farming, and edible archiving across Country and Global Diaspora. Connect with food growers, cultural bearers, cooks, and artists across for a day of tasting, food demos, truth-telling, and cultural knowledge-sharing.

🫒Held as part of the TAKEAWAY exhibition at Canberra Contemporary, this roving public program will feature:
- A curated tour of Capital Region Farmers Markets () with food producer, writer, and researcher Lauren Carroll Harris () to connect with growers and highlight local agricultural and biological food ecosystems;
- Traditional Syrian communal breakfast and Fatteh & Halawet el Jibn demo with chef and culinary teacher Racha Abou Alchamat (aka Racha Syrian Kitchen) () at Canberra Contemporary to celebrate Arabic eating practices and meal-sharing as collective nourishment;
- TAKEAWAY exhibition floor talk with artist Marley Dawson () and curators Mariam Ella Arcilla () & Denise Thwaites () at Canberra Contemporary to explore themes and creative processes behind the works on show;
- Interactive knowledge-sharing and tasting session with Ngunnawal Kamilaroi custodian Richie Allan () featuring taste samples of locally-sourced Ngunnawal bush foods, native energy drinks, bread, and tea.
- Stopover at Majura Valley Farm () to connect with growers to learn the history of the Farm and explore their local shop.
- TAKEAWAY snack-net featuring hand-picked items by Magenta House (.redfern).

NOURISHING CULTURES
Saturday 17 October, 8:00am - 1:30pm
Multi-venue across Canberra
�Limited seats / Booking essential for catering purposes
$40-60 (pay what you can)
Find out more and book via the link in bio 🎟️
https://magentahouse.com.au/programs/nourishing-cultures-public-program

This Flavour Freeways event is organised by Mariam Ella Arcilla and Denise Thwaites as part of the TAKEAWAY exhibition on show at Canberra Contemporary from 12 September - 24 October 2026, and is presented as part of the 6th Canberra Art Biennial ().

02/10/2026

ARTIST PROFILE: JANHAVI SALVI

Janhavi Salvi is an Indian artist working within the Visual and Media Arts, based in Canberra, Australia. Her practice is driven by the aim to make artworks that move away from the ‘please do not touch’ conditioning to a more liberal form of engagement that encourages touching and tampering with the work, or positioning even the most basic emotional response (even that of a
chuckle) as a gesture of co-authorship. She has exhibited her work at Tributary Projects (ACT) and photo access (ACT) as a recipient of the Dark Matter Residency opportunity. Janhavi is an emerging arts leader in the ACT, developing programs for Tributary Projects, You Are Here and University of Canberra Creativity and Culture Seminar Series.

Salvi’s work is currently featured in TAKEAWAY: Tales from The Flavour Superhighway curated by Mariam Ella Arcilla (𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 🪸🪺) and Denise Thwaites (Denise Thwaites) at Canberra Contemporary until 24 October 2026.

Janhavi Salvi

Images: Janhavi Salvi headshot, photo courtesy the artist. 3+4. Janhavi Salvi, ‘A Table for Two,’ 2026. White liquid chalk on chalkboard paint. Photography by Cassie Abraham cassie abraham.

30/09/2026

ARTIST PROFILE: MARLEY DAWSON

Marley Dawson uses chemistry, mechanics and construction techniques to create sculptures and installations that highlight aspects of our world and selves that can be uncanny, surreal and extraordinary. Dawson has been exhibiting extensively for over a decade inside Australia and internationally. Recent solo exhibitions include: Public Furniture, Roslyn Oxley9, Sydney, 2018; Construction (Barangaroo), Barangaroo, Sydney, 2016; Gravity (and Wonder); Palethorp, Roslyn Oxley9, Sydney (2016), Construction (T Street NW), 5x5 Project, Washington DC (2014), Marley Dawson (performance), Kreeger Museum, Washington DC (2014); and Statics and Dynamics, HEMPHILL Fine Arts, Washington DC (2014). In 2023 he received the Fauvette Loureiro Memorial Scholarship from Sydney College of the Arts (SCA), and worked closely with the Wiradjuri community in Albury to deliver the major public art commission Bungambrawatha, on the shores of the Murray River.

This artwork appears courtesy of Roslyn Oxley9, Sydney (Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery)

See Dawson’s work currently featured in TAKEAWAY: Tales from The Flavour Superhighway curated by Mariam Ella Arcilla (𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 🪸🪺) and Denise Thwaites (Denise Thwaites) at Canberra Contemporary until 24 October 2026. 🏍️

marleydawson

Images: 1.Marley Dawson, photograph courtesy the artist. 3+4. Marley Dawson, ‘Slow Burn (full circle)’, 2013. 1979 Motobecane moped, steel, mechanics, electrics, MDF, timber. Photography by Cassie Abraham cassie abraham

30/09/2026

‘All For You Page’ by Johanna Ng () is currently on show at Platform as part of Canberra Contemporary's exchange project with Firstdraft () - Three Days’ Walk.

This exhibition inspects how the solitary act of doom scrolling has flourished into a new mode of meaning-making, infiltrating private space and experience. Driven by Stuart Hall’s belief that our primary method of how we make sense of the world—having one-to-one conversations—has shifted from personal exchange to sponsored broadcasts, Ng looks for what messages are being distributed under the covers.

Visit the exhibition this weekend and pick up the accompanying text by writer Chin-Jie Melodie Liu ().

Exhibition dates: 18 September - 11 October 2026
Gallery Hours: 11am - 5pm, Friday - Sunday

Images: Johanna Ng, ‘All For You Page’, 2026, installation view. Photography by Fiona Little
3. Image of accompanying text by Chin-Jie Melodie Liu. Photography by Aaron Sun

Canberra Contemporary

07/10/2026

07/10/2026

07/10/2026

06/10/2026

06/10/2026

05/10/2026

03/10/2026

02/10/2026

30/09/2026

30/09/2026

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Tuesday	11am - 5pm
Wednesday	11am - 5pm
Thursday	11am - 5pm
Friday	11am - 5pm
Saturday	11am - 5pm