Wadjan artist Helen McCarthy Tyalmuty, fresh from winning the 2026 Alice Art Prize, will present a major solo exhibition titled *Grounded + Growing in Country* at Kate Owen Gallery in June. The show brings together significant recent works and paintings connected to major art prizes, including her People's Choice Award at the 24th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards and the inaugural Margaret Olley Art Award. Tyalmuty will be joined by her son, emerging artist Heath Minjin Wilson, for a four-day live painting residency from June 4–7, offering visitors a rare intergenerational artistic experience.
The exhibition matters because it highlights Tyalmuty's three-decade practice rooted in family, Country, and cultural continuity, while also showcasing her role as a mentor nurturing the next generation of Indigenous artists. Her distinctive visual language, blending ancestral stories with contemporary interpretation, positions her as a distinct voice in the contemporary Indigenous art scene. The show also underscores the growing recognition of Aboriginal art through major prizes and the importance of preserving cultural knowledge through artistic legacy.