Fiona Foley: Who are these strangers and where are they going?

Fiona Foley: Who are these strangers and where are they going?

by Danielle Neely

FIONA FOLEY: WHO ARE THESE STRANGERS AND WHERE ARE THEY GOING?

EXHIBITION DATES: Thursday 9 January — Saturday 8 February 2020
EXHIBITION LOCATION: NAS Gallery
OPENING NIGHT: Wednesday 8 January, 6–9pm
OPENING HOURS: Monday–Saturday, 11am–5pm
CURATOR: Djon Mundine OAM

We are open SUNDAY 26 JANUARY, 11am–5pm

As part of the 2020 Sydney Festival, the National Art School proudly presents Who are these strangers and where are they going?, a 30-year survey of the work of Dr Fiona Foley, one of Australia’s most acclaimed, insightful and challenging contemporary artists, curated by Djon Mundine OAM. Running from January 8 to February 8 in the National Art School Gallery, the show premiered in August 2019 at the Ballarat International Foto Biennale in Victoria. The title comes from a new work, a soundscape based on the oldest known Aboriginal song documenting the first sighting of Captain Cook in 1770, by Foley’s ancestors the Badtjala people of K’gari (Fraser Island).

Image: Fiona Foley, HHH #1 (detail) 2004, Hahnemühle Archival Inkjet Print, 76 x 101 cm. Courtesy the artist and Niagara Galleries, Melbourne

On Thursday 9 January, Dr Fiona Foley sat down with curator Djon Mundine in the NAS Gallery for an In Conversation event. Read more through the link below.

Got a young artist at home?

Art Club Term 3 is now open for enrolment — and we’ve got an exciting painting program lined up. This term, kids will explore styles like Expressive Acrylics and Contemporary Watercolour, all while building their confidence and creativity.

Monday afternoons, led by artist and educator Grant Bellamy.

Visit the link in bio to learn more and enrol.

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Jul 17

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Got a young artist at home?

Art Club Term 3 is now open for enrolment — and we’ve got an exciting painting program lined up. This term, kids will explore styles like Expressive Acrylics and Contemporary Watercolour, all while building their confidence and creativity.

Monday afternoons, led by artist and educator Grant Bellamy.

Visit the link in bio to learn more and enrol.

Thank you to everyone who attended the opening night and weekend celebrations for The Neighbour at the Gate.

The Neighbour at the Gate is now open until Saturday 18 October 2025
11am – 5pm Monday to Saturday
NAS Gallery
Free admission, all welcome

Plan your visit at the link in bio.

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Jul 15

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Thank you to everyone who attended the opening night and weekend celebrations for The Neighbour at the Gate.

The Neighbour at the Gate is now open until Saturday 18 October 2025
11am – 5pm Monday to Saturday
NAS Gallery
Free admission, all welcome

Plan your visit at the link in bio.

Announcing Nakari Thorpe as the chair for the Artists and Curators Panel Talk for The Neighbour at the Gate this Saturday 12 July.

Nakari Thorpe is a Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Gooreng Gooreng woman from Victoria and Queensland. She is a presenter and Indigenous Communities reporter with ABC News based in Sydney providing coverage across television, radio and digital. She previously worked as a multi-platform reporter with SBS and NITV covering federal politics in the Canberra Press Gallery at Parliament House and national Indigenous affairs.

Join us for the talk in our historic Cell Block Theatre, 12pm – 1pm on Saturday 12 July, as part of our opening weekend celebrations. Secure your spot and view the full program at the link in bio.

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Jul 9

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Announcing Nakari Thorpe as the chair for the Artists and Curators Panel Talk for The Neighbour at the Gate this Saturday 12 July.

Nakari Thorpe is a Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Gooreng Gooreng woman from Victoria and Queensland. She is a presenter and Indigenous Communities reporter with ABC News based in Sydney providing coverage across television, radio and digital. She previously worked as a multi-platform reporter with SBS and NITV covering federal politics in the Canberra Press Gallery at Parliament House and national Indigenous affairs.

Join us for the talk in our historic Cell Block Theatre, 12pm – 1pm on Saturday 12 July, as part of our opening weekend celebrations. Secure your spot and view the full program at the link in bio.

Led by art educators and inspired by James Nguyen’s new installation work `Homeopathies_where trees grow` (2025), join us for a free drop-in artmaking workshop to make your own incense holder out of clay which will become part of the evolving artwork in the NAS Gallery, commissioned for The Neighbour at the Gate.

Next Saturday, 12 July, between 11am – 3pm.

Visit our website to view the full program (link in bio).

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.

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Jul 8

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Led by art educators and inspired by James Nguyen’s new installation work 'Homeopathies_where trees grow' (2025), join us for a free drop-in artmaking workshop to make your own incense holder out of clay which will become part of the evolving artwork in the NAS Gallery, commissioned for The Neighbour at the Gate.

Next Saturday, 12 July, between 11am – 3pm.

Visit our website to view the full program (link in bio).

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.

Next Saturday, join us for a fun-filled day of family friendly, free creative activities. There will be sound baths, drop-in artmaking, children`s activities, an artists and curators panel talk, followed by dj sets and food trucks. Stick around for after-hours access to the gallery and the Shared Skies Music Concert with BARKAA, Rainbow Chan and DJ Rocky Stallone (ticketed, 18+).

Visit our website to view the full program (link in bio).

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.

View Instagram post by nas_au

Jul 5

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Next Saturday, join us for a fun-filled day of family friendly, free creative activities. There will be sound baths, drop-in artmaking, children's activities, an artists and curators panel talk, followed by dj sets and food trucks. Stick around for after-hours access to the gallery and the Shared Skies Music Concert with BARKAA, Rainbow Chan and DJ Rocky Stallone (ticketed, 18+).

Visit our website to view the full program (link in bio).

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.

Just over a week to go until the `Shared Skies` music concert featuring BARKAA, "The New Matriarch of Australian Rap" (GQ), and Rainbow Chan, Artist of the Year at the 2022 FBi SMAC Awards. But who’s counting? 👀

🎫 Concession tickets just $25 — link in bio.

@barkaa__
@chunyinrainbowchan

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.

View Instagram post by nas_au

Jul 2

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Just over a week to go until the 'Shared Skies' music concert featuring BARKAA, "The New Matriarch of Australian Rap" (GQ), and Rainbow Chan, Artist of the Year at the 2022 FBi SMAC Awards. But who’s counting? 👀

🎫 Concession tickets just $25 — link in bio.

@barkaa__
@chunyinrainbowchan

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.