Maddison Gibbs is a proud Barkindji woman who grew up in Dubbo, NSW. She currently lives and works between Sydney and Kandos, NSW.
Both artist and activist, Maddison Gibbs practice examines dual histories – focusing on stories of past and present Aboriginal societies and spirit. A multidisciplinary artist, Gibbs works across a wide spectrum of cultural praxis, utilising many methods and ideologies. Current thematics include intergenerational stories of contemporary Aboriginal affairs – with a focus on telling women’s narratives.
Maddison Gibb’s work is polarising, offering up culturally feminine intuitive visual poetics which at times starkly contrast with her art activism at the barricades. The dual sensitivities of caring for a country and fighting injustice is an interesting tension and one that is explored through out Gibbs practice.
“My artworks are based on my culture, people and surroundings, they tell stories of past and present by using contemporary methods and ideologies. My works include political statements and educational information regarding Aboriginal issues, a subject which I am extremely passionate about. I use different mediums for my works including drawing, ceramics, printmaking and animation.”
Having previously studied Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Arts at Eora College in Sydney, Maddison Gibbs recently completed a Bachelor of Animation at the University of Technology Sydney.
An emerging artist whose practice has recently begun to garner significant attention, Maddison Gibbs’ artworks have been included as part of Vivid Festival, Sydney Fringe Festival, Hobiennale at Moonah Arts Centre in Tasmania and the 2020 Bankstown Biennale. Her work was also included in group exhibitions Here I am at Ambush Gallery (2020) and No Show at Carriageworks (2021). Recent artist residencies include the Inner west council EDGE greenway residency (2021), the Cementa21 first nations residency (2021), and the Australian Antarctic division residency (2019).
Working regularly on a multitude of public art murals, Maddison Gibbs also worked on the restoration of the 40,000 years mural at The Block, Redfern, and was recently commissioned to create a large-scale public artwork for the new Eveleigh Precinct in Sydney. In 2019 she was the recipient of the Australian Museum’s prestigious Young Indigenous Artist Fellowship and she has also been awarded the Rotary Club of Sydney Soukup Animation Grant and the Bob Morgan International Scholarship.
Maddison Gibbs is currently a finalist in the 2021 Wyndham Prize and the 2021 Hidden Rookwood Sculpture Prize.
