‘Gugubarra’ is the Wiradjuri nation word for Kookaburra. Stacey Payten’s exhibition is a tribute to her beloved grandmother, Dixie, whose spirit lives on through the symbol of the gugubarra.
“Before my grandmother passed, she told our family that she would come back as a gugubarra and laugh at us all. The gugubarra has become an extremely important symbol to our family and all of our households contain many items with a gugubarra on them. Every time we hear the gugubarra’s call we all stop and cry ‘it’s Nana!’
My grandmother, known as Dixie (real name Iris), was a talented and accomplished artist. Her chosen mediums included pottery, glass painting, folk art and quilling. Her favourite was ceramic painting. At every birthday and Christmas engagement or wedding, each family member was given one of her pieces and every time she would exclaim: ‘sorry it’s not more’. Every piece is now cherished and will be passed as an heirloom to our children and so on.
This exhibition pays homage to our family’s matriarch. Nana was spunky, colourful and vibrant, like all my works. As an Indigenous artist, this exhibition show’s my journey of discovery into family and culture. It reflects on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ appreciation of animals, lands and waters through painting, weaving and textiles.
View the exhibition
The exhibition can be viewed at Maroondah Federation Estate Gallery from Monday 26 May to Saturday 12 July 2025.
Opening times
- Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
- Closed on weekends and Public Holidays
The exhibition will also be open on Saturday 12 July from 10am to 1pm. See more NAIDOC week events.
Image: Stacey Payten, Gugubarra, 2025, acrylic on canvas (detail)
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