Ngununggula gallery exhibition Land Abounds wins at the IMAGinE Awards

The regional gallery was recognised for its Land Abounds exhibition, in the IMAGinE Awards' Exhibition Projects category on November 24.

It took out the category for medium-sized organisations.

IMAGine celebrates the people, innovations, creativity and resilience of Aboriginal cultural centres, galleries and museums across NSW.

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Land Abounds contained installations and videos from artists and brothers Abdul-Rahman and Abdul Abdullah, and Tracey Moffatt AO.

The gallery's director Megan Monte said the accolade would "bring new audiences" to the space.

"To be acknowledged for the work we do at Ngununggula is a huge accomplishment," she said.

An educational kit from the gallery said the exhibition contained large-scale commissioned works by the brothers, "responding to the Southern Highlands' landscape and the complexity of our shared history".

"The title of the exhibition echoes lines from the Australian national anthem which celebrate the promise and bounty of the Australian landscape, ripe for the taking," it said.

"Yet, the artworks in this exhibition investigate the complexities of our collective history and invite multiple layers of consideration and response to this notion."

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Abdul-Rahman Abdullah's piece was a large sculpture titled Dead Horse, a familiar animal in the Highlands.

His artist statement from the kit said that horses are a symbol throughout mythology, wrapped up in national identities, through their involvement in used in militaries and "playing their role in taming the land and defining our ownership of such vast vistas".

Abdul's pieces were embroidered tapestries titled Breach, Reach, Together One and Together Two, which explore human interactions and connections.

"Land Abounds challenged our perceptions of history and our everyday encounters with each other," Ms Monte said.

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"At Ngununggula, we welcome challenging conversations, while also looking to pause and celebrate arts and culture."

Museum and Galleries NSW CEO Brett Adlington said the awards were a reminder of the importance for cultural spaces to connect to communities on a local level.

"The IMAGinE Awards are a timely reminder of the crucial role our sector plays in supporting the wellbeing and liveability of our communities," he said.

The win follows the gallery's success in the National Trust Heritage Awards in May.

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