River Song

The Cooks River is the subject of this new exhibition now open at Delmar Gallery.

River Song is a multi-disciplinary exhibition revealing some of the many changes wrought on the Cooks River, from environmental, cultural and historical perspectives.

Rare archival material is included in the exhibition alongside contemporary art, oral history and botanical installations.  

The Cooks River begins in a park in Yagoona, winds its way not far from Trinity’s Strathfield and Summer Hill campuses through concrete channels and some naturalised banks, before entering Botany Bay at a completely different location to its original mouth.  Our local river is Australia’s most urbanised, polluted and contested watercourse.  The vision of restoring its health drives passionate community groups and has propelled four councils to work together as the Cooks River Alliance.

The exhibition coincides with the Cooks River Alliance’s Wurridjal Festival, a series of talks, tours and workshops on the banks of the river.  A few spots might still be available for exhibiting artist Diego Bonetto’s Wonderful Wild Weeds Walk in Strathfield this Sunday afternoon, which complements his installation at Delmar Gallery. 

More information here: https://cooksriver.org.au/events/

Exhibiting artists: Mervyn Bishop, Diego Bonetto, Clare Britton, Vincent King, Dmitry Kuznichenko, Asher Milgate (Cooks River Alliance) and Jason Wing

Historical archives and maps from: Sydney Water/Water NSW, City of Canterbury Bankstown, Inner West Council,

Adastra Aerial Surveys & Royal Botanic Gardens
Curator: Catherine Benz

Until 18 April.  Free admission.

Gallery open Wednesday – Sunday, 12 – 5pm by appointment.  We will be open over the Easter weekend.