Photo Essay | Dennis Golding, Bingo | The Neighbour at the Gate
Bingo (2025) is a ten-metre-long wall installation by Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist Dennis Golding that draws from his recollections of family bingo nights hosted by his nan and aunty on Eveleigh Street in Redfern, Sydney. Gathering in an abandoned terrace house, they stitched together joy from what little they had; cutting game cards from cardboard, running power through borrowed cords, and making space for community.
The brick-like etchings and copper plates resemble the terracotta terraces of Redfern – a vital site of Aboriginal community and resistance, where Dennis was raised.
Each card tells a family story: cats curled on sun-warmed steps, the long coil of a corded phone, letters opened slowly, a cup of tea cooling by the sink, the quiet rattle of fishing gear. Earthy tones recall the walls of Dennis’ childhood and the ochres of Aboriginal art, while blue and red ink –reminiscent of biro – echoes the everyday. Some surfaces bear the dust of soil pressed gently into the paper, a residue of place.
Bingo offers no easy nostalgia. It speaks of strength formed in closeness, of laughter shared across tables, of walls that held community, not confinement. It is a tender monument to survival, made from the small, enduring things that hold us.
‘It wasn’t about winning, but the feeling of freedom and connection.’
– Dennis Golding
Bingo was commissioned by the National Art School Gallery for the major exhibition The Neighbour at the Gate (11 July – 18 October 2025) with proud support by the NSW Government through the Blockbusters Funding initiative. It was produced at the National Art School with the assistance of master printer and artist Janet Parker-Smith; Carolyn Mckenzie-Craig, NAS Head of Printmaking; and Rebecca O’Shea, NAS Printmaking Studio Technician.
Photography by Peter Morgan.
Apply for the Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) and secure your place at the National Art School before you get your ATAR!
Our admissions are based on your interview and portfolio. We`re interested in your artistic potential, not your ATAR.
Mature age students and students who are not Year 12 are encouraged to apply to our main admission round before Thursday 20 November.
Sep 24
Enrolments for Art Club Term 4 are open! Join us for Painting on Mondays with Grant Bellamy and Drawing on Tuesdays with Luke Thurgate and Liss Finney.
Visit the link in bio to learn more and enrol.
Sep 19
Don’t miss out on your chance to bid on an artwork at the NAS Gala! Get your tickets now and join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the treasures of the National Art School, our artists.
Announcing a thrilling line up of artists contributing artworks to our live and silent auction. This is your opportunity to add a special piece of art by a celebrated NAS artist to your collection.
Ann Thomson
Bernard Ollis OAM
Reg Mombassa
Eliza Gosse
Euan Macleod
Gene A`Hern
Guido Maestri
Guy Warren AM
Joan Ross
Juz Kitson
Mitch Cairns
Rosemary Lee
Wendy Sharpe AM FRSN
Zoe Young
More to come…
NAS Gala | National Treasures
Art Auction and Cocktail Party
Friday 21 November, 6.00pm – 11.30pm
Cell Block Theatre, National Art School
Purchase tickets at the link in bio.
Sep 18
Join us for the closing party for The Neighbour at the Gate – `Afterglow`, headlined by Miss Kaninna, and featuring performances by HYLANDER, Rocky Stallone, BRINA, Kuya Hennessy and DJ Court Jester. This free, 18+ concert will be a night to remember!
Thursday 16 October 2025
4.30pm – 10pm
Cell Block Theatre
RSVP at the 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.
Sep 15
Karatsu ceramicist Yukiko Tsuchiya (@tsuchiyayukiko) and curator Kathryn Hunyor (@artspeople_au) delivered two very special workshops in the teaching studios of the Ceramics Department at the National Art School (NAS), in an exciting collaboration between The Japan Foundation (@jpfsydney), Sydney, the NAS Ceramics Department and the National Art School.
Peek inside the wheel-throwing and hand-coiling masterclasses that took place.
Sep 14
If you are visiting Sydney Contemporary art fair today, keep an eye out for the many artworks on display by our extraordinary alumni. These are just a handful to spot. 1. Kirtika Kain at Roslyn Oxley9 2. Catherine O’Donnell at Dominik Mersch Gallery 3. Oliver Abbott at Dominik Mersch Gallery 4. Eliza Gosse at Edwina Corlette Gallery 5. Mirra Whale at Mitchell Fine Art 6. Erin Murphy at Velvet Lobster.
Sep 14
