Bilum Stories Exhibition

2 November - 10 December 2022

Curated by Moala James, Little Match Productions

From womb to the grave, bilums have been carried through every phase of life and passed down through generations.

The bilum is an item of both utility and beauty, not only in its designs but the stories associated with them - whether it be a story of true love never forgotten; the child loved and protected by a village-community; the entrepreneurial matriarch supporting her family or the bilum as a tool for recognising a friend in a sea of strangers across the ocean. No bilum can ever be the same, all are handmade by a talented Bilum mamma. Bilums are unique to the Artist, their style, province, and family. Bilums have adapted from traditional practices with natural fibre materials to contemporary practice with sustainable materials.

Bilum Stories brings together women from Cairns and Brisbane each with their own bilum story to share that just as the craft is carried through generations so too are the stories of the women who own, make and use these woven bags.

This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.