Dylan Mooney: Still Thriving

Overview

Following his Queer, Blak & Here Series and Blak Superheros where he created a team of First Nations superheroes, artist Dylan Mooney returns for Sydney WorldPride with his latest exhibition. For Still here and thriving, Mooney is unveiling a series of large-format portraits focusing on LGBTQIA+ identity and love which will be on display at the N.Smith Gallery in Paddington.

This series explores Mooney's personal experience as a proud queer Indigenous man. Each portrait is intimate and inviting, showing the subjects in warm embraces and adorned in native Australian flora, pride flags and poignant words or phrases. Each painting also contains an intrinsic link to Yuwi Country (the Mackay region in Queensland), with the skin of the figures painted in ochre from the area.

"I feel honoured to be given the platform to share my work with Sydney WorldPride," said Mooney. "My work focuses on authentic representations of the queer Indigenous community, representing connection to Country and our love for each other. It means a great deal that those often under-represented can stand proudly and defiantly sharing tender moments."

As part of a commission especially for WorldPride, Mooney's portraits will come to life on an even bigger scale, transforming Darlinghurst's Top of the Town building with one of the pieces from the exhibition.

Top image: Dylan Mooney, Timeless Growth, 2023, digital illustration with Yuwi ochre and ink, 84.1 x 59.4 cm, edition of 10 + 2 AP, Courtesy of the artist and the N.Smith Gallery, Sydney