Dreaming of the Top End

In Dreaming of the Top End, Cassandra Bynder presents a deeply personal body of Gelli plate monotypes born from a period of grief, healing and creative rediscovery.

The exhibition began with an unexpected encounter—an op-shop copy of Frank Hodgkinson's Kakadu and the Arnhem Landers. During a time when painting no longer came easily, Hodgkinson's expressive depictions of Arnhem Land sparked something both familiar and profound. His vibrant use of colour, texture and mark-making became the catalyst for a new way of creating, allowing Cassandra to reconnect with joy through play, experimentation and intuition.

As a Noongar, Yamatji and third-generation Australian woman, Cassandra's practice explores the complexities of navigating her Aboriginal identity in the contemporary world. With much of her family's cultural knowledge disrupted through generations of colonisation, her connection to Country continues to unfold through both inherited spirit and lived experience. Inspired by Hodgkinson's reverence for Arnhem Land, this collection becomes both an homage to the landscapes, people and colours of the Top End and a reflection on her own longing to deepen her cultural connection.

Created using layers of hand-pulled Gelli plate monotypes, botanical impressions and expressive mark-making, these works celebrate the textures, rhythms and luminous palette of Northern Australia. Although Cassandra is yet to visit Arnhem Land, the exhibition speaks to the power of art to forge connections across place, memory and imagination.

Playful, tactile and richly layered, Dreaming of the Top End is an invitation to slow down, embrace imperfection, and experience the restorative power of creativity and Country.