Kaaditj - A Solo Exhibition by Wes Jackson

We are delighted to announce that Wes will be the NAIDOC Emerging Artist for the Zig Zag Gallery in Kalamunda this July. His first solo exhibition, this is collection is a celebration of indigenous and natural past, present and future - a wonderful addition to the NAIDOC theme of 50 Years Deadly.

Kaaditj is an exhibition centred on remembering — a return to cultural knowledge through memory and nostalgia. Taken from Noongar language, meaning understand, know, or listen, or to “holding knowledge” the exhibition unfolds across three connected chapters: Life, Destruction and Regrowth.

Life reflects the deep relationship between people, land and knowledge systems sustained over tens of thousands of years. Destruction acknowledges the disruption caused over generations, where culture and land-based practices were suppressed or taken away. Regrowth speaks to renewal; knowledge being remembered, reclaimed and carried forward.

Running through the work is a strong sense of nostalgia, that bittersweet feeling of holding onto something ancestral and from childhood that evokes both happiness and loss. It’s about memory, longing, and the quiet presence of what once was. Fire becomes a key symbol within this emotion - for First Nations people, fire is not solely destructive but a tool for land care, renewal and growth. It mirrors the cycle of loss and return; a reminder that even after absence, something can come back stronger.

Kaaditj reflects on what was nearly lost, while looking toward what can still be rebuilt. It’s both an act of remembrance and a call to continue sharing cultural knowledge, keeping it alive for future generations.

Kaaditj will run from the 4th of July until the 26th, with the Zig Zag Gallery open daily.

50 Railway Rd Kalamunda WA 6076

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