The National Art School has announced further details for the highly anticipated major exhibition, The Neighbour at the Gate. Presented at NAS Galleries, the exhibition is set to open during NAIDOC Week on July 11 and run until October 18.

Led by Wardandi (Noongar) and Badimaya (Yamatji) woman and senior curator Clothilde Bullen OAM, and a Curatorium comprising Micheal Do and Whadjuk Balladong and Wilman (Noongar) woman Zali Morgan, this world premiere unravels the impacts of previous immigration policies, and post-frontier national identity-making upon First Nations and Asian Australian peoples, highlighting the historical and contemporary parallels of these communities.

The exhibition features significant new commissions that will transform the gallery space, by leading First Nations and Asian Australian artists including Jacky Cheng, Elham Eshraghian-Haakansson, Dennis Golding, Jenna Mayilema Lee, James Nguyen, and James Tylor.

Curator Clothilde Bullen the exhibition "seeks to centre connection between First Nations and Asian Australian cultural groups and raise the level of awareness of those connections, which have existed outside dominant or mainstream culture for as long as humans have come and gone to this continent".

"By gathering the artists and curators together to tell their stories, we consider the importance of who gets to tell these stories, the archive from which they are drawn, and how they shape perceptions and identities," she said.

"It is urgent and timely that we offer audiences the opportunity to think deeply about how we frame our national identity, presenting new dialogues about what it means to be an Australian and who we are as a country today."

The newly commissioned works to be unveiled for the exhibition are set to engage visitors.

Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist Dennis Golding's installation evoking memories of bingo nights hosted by his grandmother and aunty in an old terrace in Redfern. An installation by Jenna Mayilema Lee will explore transitional spaces that transcend physical boundaries, using water—and specifically the bangarr or billabong—as a metaphor for deep cultural connection and shared histories around food and ritual.

"The Neighbour at the Gate is an extraordinary artistic project exploring the connections between First Nations and Asian Australian peoples. This exhibition emerges from a generative collaboration between the National Art School, the Curatorium and the artists," said National Art School Director and chief executive officer Dr Kristen Sharp.

"It provides a dynamic setting for expanding dialogues around identity, belonging and challenging histories of colonialism. Through this initiative, the National Art School reaffirms its commitment to activating spaces to enhance artistic expression, fostering collaboration, and presenting exhibitions that profoundly shape contemporary art discourse."

National Art School Project Co-leads Katrina Cashman and John Waight also shared the importance of the National Art School involvement.

"This is an important project for the National Art School at a critical time in our nation's history. We are pleased to be able to lead the cultural conversation with truth telling at the core of this special project. The National Art School is proud to produce this significant exhibition curated by an esteemed team who, drawing on cultural mixed heritage and the lived experiences of an incredible collective of contemporary artists, are examining the complex, intertwined histories of connection and marginalisation of First Nations and Asian communities in Australia," they said in a joint statement.

"The School is a champion of art as a medium for education and social engagement, and this exhibition is particularly significant in its mission to teach the public about histories that are often underrepresented in mainstream discourse, providing a platform for critical conversations that challenge us to expand our perspectives on issues of racial and cultural identity and the complexities of belonging."

The Neighbour at the Gate will be held from the 11th of July – 18th of October 2025 at the NAS Gallery, National Art School.

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