‘Unfolding’ exhibition celebrates First Nations works on paper

A major Australian exhibition celebrating the diversity and vitality of First Nations works on paper has opened at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery (MPRG) in Mornington, Victoria.

Titled Unfolding, the exhibition brings together prints, drawings and paintings from the gallery’s permanent collection, presented on Bunurong Country. The exhibition runs until February 15, 2026

Unfolding explores the many ways First Nations artists engage with paper as a medium for storytelling, cultural expression and contemporary practice. Drawing on the metaphor of folded paper, the exhibition highlights how marks and memories remain embedded over time, reflecting the enduring strength of identity, language, connection to Country, history and community.

The exhibition has been curated in collaboration with Gulumerridjin (Larrakia), Wardaman and KarraJarri artist and curator Jenna (Mayilema) Lee, who emphasises paper’s long-standing role as a powerful tool for the sharing of knowledge, stories and artistic expression across generations.

Artists featured in the exhibition include Nici Cumpston, d harding, Robert Fielding, Fiona Foley, Brian Martin, Danie Mellor, Queenie McKenzie, Sally Morgan, Gloria Petyarre, Brian Robinson, Teho Ropeyarn, Lisa Waup and Dominic White, alongside many others.

Visitors are also invited to take part in a collaborative artwork designed by Taungurung artist Sammy Trist, encouraging active engagement with the exhibition’s themes.

As part of the public program, the gallery will open late on Friday 23 January, with First Nations DJs Fosters and Pvrtal providing an energetic soundtrack of melodic afro, shuffling house, disco and techno, layered with First Nations sounds and vocal samples.

Additional school holiday workshops, talks and events are scheduled throughout the exhibition, with further details available on the gallery’s website.