Danie Mellor: marru | the unseen visible

Multidisciplinary artist Danie Mellor is showcasing historical ‘truths’ in a new light through a profound and visually arresting body of work at QAGOMA.

The marru | the unseen visible exhibition invites audiences to experience and reflect on the relationship between First Nations people, culture and Country, and the environmental and social impact of colonial history.

Through the lens of his Ngadjon-jii, Mamu and Anglo-Celtic ancestry, and enduring connection to Country in the Atherton Tablelands and rainforests of far north Queensland, the acclaimed Danie Mellor uses painting, photography and moving image to meld archival and contemporary source imagery. Mellor’s recomposed scenes challenge the authority of historical pictorial records and the narratives embedded in colonial-era photography. Together, the thought-provoking works prompt viewers to explore the role images have in shaping collective perceptions of history and memory.

For more information on marru | the unseen visible, head to the QAGOMA website.

Image one: Danie Mellor / Ngadjon-jii/Mamu peoples / Australia b.1971 / Dark star waterfall (still) 2025 / Two-channel video projection: 16:9, colour, sound, 24 minutes; historic footage and images: National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, Queensland State Archives, State Library of Queensland / This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body through a VACS Major Commissioning project / Courtesy: The artist and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne / © Danie Mellor

Image two: Danie Mellor / Ngadjon-jii/Mamu peoples / Australia b.1971 / On the edge of darkness (the sun also sets) 2020 / Acrylic on board with gesso and iridescent wash / 180 x 360cm / Private collection / © Danie Mellor

Image three: Danie Mellor / Ngadjon-jii/Mamu peoples / Australia b.1971 / The remembering (forever in history) 2024 / Acrylic on linen with gesso and iridescent wash / 152 x 275cm / Courtesy: The artist / © Danie Mellor