Bag a last chance to see show before gallery shuts for a year

Wollongong Art Gallery's closing weekend will give visitors a last chance to discover the ideas behind GO BAG, an exhibition title inspired by a global symbol of travel and transition – the tricolour plaid bag.

"On Saturday, 31 October, the closing Saturday of the show, I will run a tour of the exhibition followed by Kartika Suharto-Martin performing a classic keroncong song as Siti Suharti, her Javanese folk-pop singer alter-ego," Go Bag curator Olivia Welch said.

Dance displays have energised the art show, which prompts people to contemplate identity, belonging and survival.

"The performances have been a huge part of the exhibition," Olivia said.

"At the opening, Scotty So assumed his drag persona Scarlett So Hung Son to emerge from a very large go bag in an incredible outfit made from this same material, and Lucky Lartey brought Ghanaian dance and protest culture to the audience through a participatory performance.

"For Culture Mix, Indonesian dance company Suara Dance, alongside Wollongong locals Kartika Suharto-Martin and Kyati Suharto-Martin, presented an incredible program of performances and creative activities that engaged audiences with Indonesian culture and the practices of two local artists."

Gallery to close for 12 months

The closure of Wollongong Art Gallery on November 1 will provide an accidentally fitting punctuation mark for GO BAG, which invites visitors to think about the practical and emotional weight of what we carry — and what we leave behind.

The day after this exhibition about transient living ends, the city's art collection will be displaced for 12 months.

Collections will be put in storage while works to address the heritage-listed building's air-conditioning and leaky roof are under way. A site compound will be set up in the Arts Precinct until November 2027, when WAG is expected to reopen just in time for its 50th birthday celebrations in 2028. 

Viewers react to relatable themes

Olivia is the assistant director at Bowral's Ngununggula regional gallery and, while she hasn't been present daily at GO BAG, Wollongong Art Gallery's Vivian Vidulich has told her that many people are coming in simply to spend time with the exhibition because it is so relatable.

"When I have been able to engage with people in the space at events and talks," Olivia said, "hearing what people bring to the show from their own experiences are my favourite reactions, as my hope for GO BAG was that people would connect with the works in the show on a personal level.  

"Katrika and Kyati Suharto-Martin's installation has been really well received, especially as the artists are local to Wollongong. Experiences of intergenerational cohabitation, living between countries and cultures, and family relationships are explored in this work.

"Vanessa Inkamala and Michael Kempson's Homeless on My Homeland has also had a huge reaction from audiences; some reflecting on housing shortages in the local area, and others reflecting on the colonial violence that has caused may First Nations people to be dispossessed on their ancestral lands."

GO BAG features eight artists from diverse cultural backgrounds including Mitch Davis, Lucky Lartey, Vanessa Inkamala, Michael Kempson, Bonnie Huang, Scotty So, and siblings Kartika and Kyati Suharto-Martin.

When the show opened in August, Wollongong Art Gallery director Dr Daniel Mudie Cunningham hailed it as a catalyst for important conversations.

“This exhibition invites us to think differently about identity and belonging, while recognising the resilience and resourcefulness of people living through change," he said. “These works encourage empathy and a deeper understanding of experiences that are often overlooked.”

Olivia was a successful applicant of Wollongong Art Gallery’s Expressions of Interest in 2025 and her project is curated around themes of migration, displacement, belonging and resilience.

"I'm just really proud that the show is not in my head anymore and instead out in the world where people can enjoy it," she said.

Olivia is already thinking about what's next.

"Let's just say the notes app on my phone is bursting with ideas!"

Save the date

• Saturday, 31 October, 12.30-1.30pm: Curator's Tour with Olivia Welch

Join Olivia as she explores the ideas, experiences and curatorial thinking behind GO BAG and discusses the artists and works presented in the exhibition. With a performance by Kartika Suharto-Martin, Kartika will perform a classic keroncong song as Siti Suharti, her Javanese folk-pop singer alter-ego. Refreshments provided, more info on WAG's website.