Coen artist Naomi Hobson has given four local youths an unforgettable experience by taking them to the launch of her Adolescent Wonderland exhibition in Sydney.

It’s the third installation of the much hyped exhibition, which first launched in 2019 and features photographs of Coen youths around the community.

“I see pride in my people all the time when I’m out on the street talking to them, and I wanted the rest of the country to see what I was seeing,” Hobson said.

“We had a full house on Saturday, which was really good to see. All the feedback was positive and we had a lot of interest.” The exhibition was opened by Minister for Arts Tony Burke at the Cement Fondu gallery in Paddington.

Adolescent Wonderland is about the young people of Coen and their journey.

“Our young people are so giving and they’ve all got an education and many are furthering their studies after high school,” Hobson said proudly.

She invited four locals to come with her Colin Kepple, Alaina Walker, Verona Platt and Chastyn Creek, who managed to adjust well to the colder climate.

“I thought they’d complain and mumble about the weather but they took it really well and enjoyed the experiences”, Hobson said.

They didn’t shy away at the opening and loved sharing their stories. They are confident people.

Kepple even sang Bright Lights to help open the exhibition. The earlier installments are currently touring South Australia. They are inspiring a nation.

This article appeared in Cape York Weekly, 14 June 2022.