Continuing culture through art

by Bonnie Collings
A new exhibition of artwork created by proud Gunaikurnai elder Aunty Elizabeth Dalton is now on display at the West Gippsland Arts Centre.
Titled "My Heart, My Story," Aunty Elizabeth's exhibition shares lived memories, ancestral knowledge, and the enduring strength of family, country, and community.

"The exhibition is just about life in general, all the experiences that I've been through with kids and family," Aunty Elizabeth explained. "It's about family, community and keeping mob together for the next generation."

Through storytelling, imagery, and cultural expression, "My Heart, My Story" reflects the interconnectedness of kinship, identity, love, grief, and survival across generations.
At the heart of the exhibition is the everyday beauty of Aboriginal life: grandchildren playing at the beach, elders sitting together sharing stories, laughter carried through the wind, and the quiet strength held within memory and pain. The works honour the passing of culture through time: from Elders to children, from memory to future, from heart to heart.
Aunty Elizabeth's pieces capture themes of strong Aboriginal women, particularly in her large, textured artwork "Warrior Woman".
"The "Warrior Woman" is a picture of all the warrior women that come before me, like my mum, my grandmother, my aunties who have helped me along the way to grow as a person in life," she said.
Aunty Elizabeth said she hoped by paying tribute to the strong women that came before her, the next generation would feel encouraged to follow culture and keep it alive.
Another of Aunty Elizabeth's favourite pieces in her exhibition is "Kira's Creation", which tells the story of her granddaughter's birth.
The exhibition invites audiences to sit within the warmth of community while acknowledging the histories and wounds carried by Aboriginal people. It is both intimate and universal - a celebration of culture that continues to live, breathe and grow through children, family and shared experience.
Aunty Elizabeth said she hoped people who visited the exhibition would remember that Aboriginal art was still alive.
"It mightn't be traditional, but it's contemporary Aboriginal art that has evolved," she said. "We can express ourselves in all different forms of mediums."
"My Heart, My Story" will remain on display on level two of the West Gippsland Arts Centre until Friday August 28.