This exhibition, Millowl – A Mother’s Element, is both a deeply personal tribute and a celebration of Country. Created in honour of the artist’s late Mother, it is a body of work that recognises the enduring force and beauty of Mother Nature, and the way she sustains, protects and transforms us.
The series is inspired by Millowl (Phillip Island) and reflects the four sacred elements – Fire, Water, Air and Earth – as they are experienced across the island’s landscapes and seascapes. Each piece captures the rhythm of life on Country: the warmth of fire as renewal and memory, the ocean’s tides as healing waters, the currents of air as breath and spirit, and the grounding of earth as connection and belonging.
Together, these works invite reflection on the cycles of nature and life, and on the unbreakable ties between people, place and ancestry. They stand as both a remembrance of a beloved mother, and as a universal story of nurture, resilience, and the elemental balance that shapes us all. Vegas Fitzmaurice grew up with Aboriginal heritage (Yarra Yarra, Wurundjeri), and is focused on storytelling through art with his business VGF Creative (www.vgfcreative.com.au). Image credit: Vegas Fitzmaurice, ‘Mother’s Element’, 2025 (detail).
Opening event: Saturday 1 November - 2pm-4pm.
Berninneit Art Gallery
91-97 Thompson Avenue
Cowes, Phillip Island
Victoria, 3922
T: (03) 5671 2211
W: basscoastculturalvenues.com/our-venues/berninneit-art-gallery
E: cultural.venues@basscoast.vic.gov.au
Opening Hours
Monday - Friday: 9:30am – 5:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am – 4:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am – 4:00pm
Admission is free
The Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV) acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the lands where our office is located, and all Traditional Owners of country throughout Victoria and Australia. We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples enduring traditions and continuing creative cultures. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
We are an LGBTQIA+ friendly organisation that celebrates diversity. We are committed to providing safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive services for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.
