Page 60 - Tropic Magazine Issue 34

TROPIC • ARTS

Future vision

LEADERSHIP
UMI Arts continues to grow
with new team members,
large-scale commissions and
diverse exhibitions.

Forging ahead with new faces at its helm,
UMI Arts is granting school leavers and
experienced artists alike opportunities to
steer the organisation into the future.
Makaela Maloney-Connolly, a graduate of
Gordonvale State High School, is the
latest recruit. 1
Working across many facets of the arts
organisation, she’s dipped into everything “What I am particularly enjoying is seeing
from coordinating arts markets all the different types of artworks come
to building UMI Arts’ new website through the door –
and managing databases, all while be it for exhibition or sale in the shop or
completing a Certificate III in Business for the markets.”
Administration through Skills360. Meanwhile, UMI Arts has also welcomed
two dynamic local artists as directors to
its all-Indigenous board – Wanjibung
(Shaun) Edwards of Kokoberrin Country
in Western Cape York, and Robert 2
There is just so much ‘Tommy’ Pau, an Eastern Torres Strait
work that goes on behind Islander man. Together they join Northern Peninsula
Area artist and arts worker, Michael
the scenes Both highly successful in their creative Solomon, and Pauline Lifu, filling the
work and community leadership,
Wanjibung is one of Australia’s leading shoes of valued outgoing directors Noel
Makaela
Maloney-Connolly, First Nations designers as the founder Zaro (OAM), Leo B Akee (JP) and
UMI Arts of Wildbarra clothing, while Pau’s works Priscilla Major.
are held in the Australian Institute of
“I’m very thankful to UMI Arts to give me Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
this great opportunity and I am really Studies (AIATSIS) in Canberra, as well 1. Makaela Maloney-Connolly
enjoying my time with the organisation,” as the Museum and Art Gallery of the 2. Tommy Pau
she said. Northern Territory. 3. Works by Lisa Michl Ko-manggén OAM.
Credit: Colyn Huber

Luxury meets lore
Travellers from around the world will be greeted by
bespoke local art in one of Cairns’ most luxurious hotels.
The works of three UMI Arts member artists – Tatapai
Barsa, Lisa Michl Ko-manggén OAM and Melanie Hava –
are now on permanent display in Pullman Cairns
International, with a separate floor dedicated to each artist
and their individual series of 20 unique pieces. All original
works are displayed in the lift lobby, with two reproductions
of the smaller pieces in every guest room.
Commissioned as part of the hotel’s major refurbishment,
the collections are steeped in storytelling, exploring each
artist’s tribal lands and lore. 3

MORE: umiarts.com.au

60 • Tropic • Issue 34