FireWorks Gallery presents Off Country, a powerful new solo exhibition by Mbararrum artist Jennifer Herd, showcasing 35 works that merge delicacy with defiance. Known for her distinctive pin-holing technique and geometric shield patterns, Herd’s work reflects a long-standing exploration of resistance, cultural identity, and memory.
This latest body of work marks a personal and artistic shift. While earlier exhibitions examined frontier conflict and resistance—especially in her North Queensland matrilineal heritage—Off Country turns inward. The series examines Herd’s own experiences of displacement, the lasting effects of institutional erasure, and the strength found in reconnection and community.
“Off Country encapsulates a profound sense of displacement and expresses the trials, triumphs and truths along the lifelong journey back to Mother’s country,” — Jennifer Herd
Highlights include:
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Shield motifs that draw on Bama warrior shields—once protection in battle, now reclaimed as symbols of survival.
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Pinholes that punctuate paper like bullet wounds, speaking to colonial violence and cultural endurance.
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Map-based works reinterpreting AIATSIS and Tindale language group maps, deconstructing the myth of terra nullius and asserting the presence of First Nations people.
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A new series of sculptural garden lights in stainless and Corten steel, extending her motifs into light-based installation.
Herd’s work is striking both visually and conceptually—layered with historical reference, personal story, and contemporary strength.
