ADOLESCENT WONDERLAND - Solo Exhibition by Naomi Hobson

Explore ‘The Mervyn Moriarty Landscape Award’ Winner Naomi Hobson solo exhibition at the Judith Wright Art Centre from the 4th – 18th of November 2024.

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 9am – 5pm

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Naomi Hobson is an artist practising in painting, photography and ceramics. She resides in Coen. Her colourful abstract compositions act as a link between individuality and a shared identity, her photography grapples with indigenous identity and social issues confronting indigenous peoples.

Hobson uses the observation of her home surroundings, human interactions and her own feelings to create images that invites people in. Hobson’s work can be viewed as symbolic of the lives of young people in her community. Her composition has a purpose, from colour, style, to the body language, and the combination of all elements creates the final conceptual image of black JOY. She believes black home is a great space to learn and educate people about black LOVE.

“In our space we get to fully show up as our natural selves. We get to be bold; we get to be colourful. We get to fully embrace our uniqueness. We get to celebrate our culture and all that it has to offer where the lights of society rarely chooses to shine. I am a positive person, and this positivity often reflects on my work delivering images with a strong messaging, overcoming obstacles, being true to yourself, expressing pride. My images are characterizing from simple home settings with highly aesthetic charm. I want my work to be viewed as a whole story and condensed in one frame.” —Naomi Hobson

ABOUT NAOMI HOBSON

Naomi Hobson is an Artist practising in painting, photography and ceramics. She resides in Coen on the banks of the riverbeds her grandparents were born. Her residence is an old tin shed that was once her village church. Her colourful abstract compositions act as a link between individuality and a shared identity, her photography grapples with indigenous identity and social issues confronting indigenous peoples while her ceramics are a modern expression of her ancient culture. Her continual inspiration is the vast traditional lands of her ancestors surrounding the town of Coen in Queensland and her culture. More recently, Naomi is further inspired by her travels throughout South-east Asia.

Coen is a small township of 300 people at the bottom of the Mellwraith Ranges (part of the Great Dividing Range) surrounded by the east coast of Cape York Peninsula, rainforest and open wooded country, with many river systems that snake down to the northern section of the Great Barrier Reef. The local clans include Kaantju, Umpila, LamaLama, Ayapathu, Wik Mungkan and Olkola. This landscape has provided inspiration for Naomi’s paintings.

“I produce art in my own personal space where I feel comfortable which is mostly at home on my back veranda.”

The landscape of Coen is also imbued with a marked political history. Since European settlement Aboriginal people have maintained a connection to their country through working on pastoral properties. Hobson’s grandfather was employed as a stockman for a European family, while other local indigenous people worked as farmhands (cooking, cleaning, gardening, baby-sitters) for no financial reward. Further, Hobson’s family have been active in indigenous land rights and reform movements in the effort to return traditional lands and on social and economic reforms to her Cape York community of Coen.

Through her art, Hobson continues her family tradition of political and social engagement and having such variety and scope of work provides Hobson with a balance in her life.

“My aboriginality is what grounds me. Through art I get to freely express all of this. I can share my creative freedoms in a contemporary way. I find photography particularly enables me to raise issues and promote awareness of our everyday life experiences.”

“My art practise reflects my individuality… I want my work to tell my stories in an innovative way, I want to introduce new work, to maintain a point of difference, I am wary to re-define and not recycle.”

While Hobson is quick to point out she has been exploring her art practise since her teenage years, in 2007 Hobson commenced her journey as an artist.

Image credit: Pink Umbrella Ladies by Naomi Hobson. Courtesy of the artist.