Connections to Home: Uncle Col (Marra) Clark and Jenny Murray-Jones: Coming Home

The Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT) is proud to present two solo exhibitions that explore connection, family and culture by two respected artists, Barkindji and Ngiyampaa Elder, Uncle Colin (Col) Clark and Yorta Yorta and Baraparapa artist, Dr Jenny Murray-Jones.

Connections to Home is the first solo exhibition of carvings and paintings by revered Barkindji and Ngiyampaa Elder, Uncle Colin (Col) Clark. 

This exhibition showcases fifty of Uncle Col’s crafted artworks, including spears, shields, clubs, tapping sticks, digging sticks, boomerangs, didgeridoos, painted emu eggs, bowls, and paintings created over the past 20 years.

Connections to Home demonstrates Uncle Col’s deep knowledge of wood and carving as a cultural practice that connects him to Country and home, but also to his Ancestors and the ongoing legacy expressed through his Marra or hands in Barkindji as he has been nicknamed. 

The exhibition explores six overarching themes, developed by Uncle Col and his collaborators: Reading Country; The River is the lifesource; A growing family; Connecting to Ancestors; The wood tells me; and Healing and medicine. 

Coming Home is a compelling solo exhibition by Dr. Jenny Murray-Jones of up to 25 of her paintings from KHTs unique and importance Collections of Victorian First Peoples Art and Cultural belongings and recent works by Dr. Murray-Jones. Murray-Jones is a Yorta Yorta and Baraparapa artist. Her work offers a poignant exploration of family reconnection, delving into themes of Country, Kinship, and the enduring impact of colonisation and institutional life.

Through her rich and emotive use of colour and texture, Murray-Jones captures both the beauty and complexity of her family’s journey. 

Her works tell stories of resilience, loss, and the healing power of reconnecting with family and Country. Each piece invites viewers into the artist’s personal history, where moments of joy and pain are intertwined, reflecting the strength of her cultural identity and the deep connections that bind her to her Ancestors and Country.

This exhibition, which coincides with National Reconciliation Week 2025 (27 May-3 June) offers a unique opportunity to engage with Murray-Jones powerful depictions of the Stolen Generations and intimate family moments, bringing to life her personal narrative and cultural research in a deeply moving and thought-provoking way.