National Reconciliation Week 2026 - Keegan Forbes

Held across 2–3 June, the session invited audiences to engage directly with Keegan’s creative process, offering a rare opportunity to witness the development of a major work in real time. Throughout the two days, visitors experienced the energy, movement and intuition that underpin his practice, as the artwork evolved organically through gesture, instinct and connection to Country.

Keegan Forbes, a proud Kamilaroi man living and working on Gadigal Country and raised on Awabakal Country, is known for his abstract and deeply personal approach to painting. His work is not pre-determined, but instead emerges through process, reflecting memory, emotion and the enduring relationship between people and place. This live setting provided a powerful platform for storytelling, allowing audiences to observe and connect with the work as it unfolded.

The resulting artwork, titled Baamagaaliyan, speaks to themes of revival, guidance and renewal. Inspired by patterns found in nature, particularly those revealed in timber by termites, the work reflects Keegan’s experience of returning to Country and finding clarity through that connection. The piece also draws on seasonal shifts in the landscape, with colour referencing the yellow of flowering wattle and the cooler tones of winter mornings.

Following the live session, the artwork was made available through a silent auction, with all funds raised donated to ACON’s Aboriginal Health Program, supporting the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal communities.

This activation formed part of a broader program recognising National Reconciliation Week, creating space for reflection, dialogue and deeper engagement with First Nations culture, histories and contemporary practices.