The Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT) is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a major milestone exhibition: the first comprehensive solo retrospective of the late Gunditjmara Elder Aunty Connie Hart (1917–1993).
Currently on show at KHT in Fed Square, Connie Hart: One Stitch at a Time brings together more than fifty works created during the mid-1980s through to the early 1990s. Many pieces are drawn from KHT’s own collection of Victorian and South East Australian art and cultural belongings, with additional works on loan from the National Gallery of Australia and Museums Victoria.
Aunty Connie’s intricate fibre-art is celebrated for its role in the survival and continuity of weaving in South East Australia – a cultural practice that bridges communities and language groups across the continent. Her works not only showcase artistry and technique but stand as powerful symbols of resilience, survival, and cultural knowledge.
Alongside the retrospective, the exhibition also unveils Gilgar Gunditj Eel Basket, a newly commissioned work by Sandra Aitken, Gilgar Gunditj Elder and Aunty Connie’s niece. Crafted from Puunyort, a natural fibre sourced from Gilgar Gunditj Country, the piece honours her aunt’s enduring cultural legacy and represents the intergenerational transmission of skills, values, and storytelling through weaving.
Aunty Connie was instrumental in reviving and sustaining fibre practices in the region, ensuring knowledge would not be lost. Sandra Aitken’s contribution continues that legacy, reinforcing the strength of cultural connection and the importance of passing knowledge from one generation to the next.
This exhibition is both a celebration of KHT’s four decades of cultural leadership and a moving tribute to one of South East Australia’s most important cultural figures.
Connie Hart: One Stitch at a Time and Gilgar Gunditj Eel Basket is showing until Sunday 23 November 2025 at Koorie Heritage Trust, Birrarung Building, Fed Square. For more information visit www.kht.org.au
