AMC Artwork on Display in Canberra
A new exhibition in Canberra is showcasing the artwork by First Nations people incarcerated at Alexander Maconochie Centre.
Pink Cockatoo, Acrylic paint on stretched canvas, 600mm x 900mm
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A number of pieces of art by First Nations who are incarcerated in Canberra, or have previously been, are on display for the public as part of a new exhibition.
The Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Exhibition opened in mid-September, and features 40 artworks by current and former First Nations people in prison.
The art explores culture, Country, family, identity, totems and Dreaming stories, and the show provides an opportunity for the artists to sell their work.
AMC’s Cultural Arts Program, which has run for 15 years, operates in six-week blocks and accommodates up to eight people in each two-hour class.
Yuin artist Garry said that art gave him something positive to focus on when he was in custody.
“I could think about what I wanted to paint and how I could bring that vision to life,” Garry said.
“Painting helps me to connect to Country and focus on culture. I paint what is important to me and my children so I can pass those stories on.
“Having my artwork displayed publicly is an honour and makes me proud. It encourages me to continue and gives me hope that I can become an established artist in the future.”
Younger Generation
“The Elders teaching the younger generation how to hunt and teaching them the way of the land and how animals move.”
Acrylic paint on rolled canvas, 1300mm x 550mm
Aura of a Rainbow Serpent-Purple
“This artwork shows how the Rainbow Serpent slithers and glides across the land creating the rivers which feed the plants and animals that sustain us.”
Acrylic paint on stretched canvas, 600mm x 900mm
Blue Tongue Dragon
“The Australian landscape with a blue tongue lizard, its food the witchety grub and some camp sites surrounding it.”
Acrylic paint on stretched canvas, 600mm x 900mm
Date Published
October 29, 2026
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