26 Sep — 4 Oct
10am – 6pm
Magdalen Laundry
$19 General Admission
26 Sep — 4 Oct
10am – 6pm
Magdalen Laundry
$19 General Admission
‘The only thing harder than being born Aboriginal, gay, and a woman… is being born a Romantic.’
– Aretha Brown
In the age of the internet, Aretha Brown has chosen a post-cringe perspective on the meaning of love, dating and romance; leaning into the vulnerable, awkward and the uncomfortable.
Rejecting the assumption that Aboriginal art must be purely educational and political, this show delivers a dissection of her heart, a deeply personal insight into the experience of being a young, queer, Blak girl. It’s sexy, stupid, tender, awkward, and a little bit perverted.
This show is Aretha’s love letter to being embarrassingly human.
Join us for the opening night celebration of BORN ROMANTIC, the debut solo exhibition by Aretha Brown, featuring live entertainment by Nate Lust (AUS), Milika (NZ) & Caution (AUS).
Friday 25 September
6pm – 9.30pm
Aretha Brown is a Gumbaynggirr artist, muralist and screenwriter whose multidisciplinary practice centres Blak truth-telling, cultural resilience and intergenerational knowledge transfer. Through painting, public art, installation and storytelling, Brown creates works that challenge colonial narratives while celebrating First Nations survival, joy and futurity.
As founder of **KISS MY ART Collective, Brown has led the creation of more than 70 public murals across seven countries, transforming walls into powerful sites of education and cultural exchange. In 2025, Brown became one of the youngest artists selected for the National Indigenous Art Triennial, opening After the Rain at the National Gallery of Australia with her monumental 40-metre timeline mural The Birth of a Nation: The True History of Australia.
Please be advised that this exhibition explores themes of love, relationships, queer identity and the artworks may contain representations of nudity and mature themes.
This exhibition explores First Nations histories, experiences and futures within the complex colonial context of the Abbotsford Convent site. The Convent acknowledges this legacy and is committed to providing a welcoming and respectful space for all.
