Fashion becomes a canvas for storytelling in this bold new exhibition celebrating First Nations art, culture, and design.
Stories You Wear: Magpie Goose brings to life powerful narratives of community, culture, and Country through wearable art. Exclusive to Museum of Brisbane, the exhibition showcases vibrant designs by First Nations artists from South-East Queensland and beyond — created in collaboration with Aboriginal-owned sustainable fashion label Magpie Goose.
Led by Amanda Hayman (Wakka Wakka, Kalkadoon) and Troy Casey (Kamilaroi), Magpie Goose stitches together style and social impact, partnering with artists from 13 regional and remote communities across Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.
The exhibition features collaborations with Jinibara and Quandamooka artists including Sonja Carmichael and Belinda Close, whose works draw on traditional weaving and intergenerational stories of connection to land and materials.
Through bold garments, sketches, and materials, visitors are invited to explore how fashion can amplify First Nations voices and preserve cultural knowledge.
“Every Magpie Goose garment carries a story,” says co-curator Amanda Hayman. “Designs are created in collaboration with artists and screen-printed by hand onto natural fibres — each piece is a wearable artwork made here in Australia.”
Supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, the exhibition highlights the Museum’s commitment to championing First Nations culture and the creativity thriving in Brisbane’s cultural landscape.
Image: Molly Rex, Jordan Unghango, Trinita Bundamurra and Zerika Clement wearing Leoni Melpi’s Waves, Graham Badari’s Nabarlek deja Ngarrbek (Rock Wallaby and Echidna), Reuben Manakgu’s Wakih (Fresh Water Prawns), Bede Tungatalum’s Tiwi Birds, Kodjdjan D Diaguma’s Murnubbarra Karrolka (Flying Magpie Geese), and Elizabeth Kandabuma’s Kun-ngol (Clouds) designs. Photo: Freedom Garvey-Warr and Kalumburu Photography Collective, Enterprise Partnerships.
