From the Gulf Country cattle stations to CIAF '25: Kelly Barclay’s buffalo skulls carry stories of survival and strength

First Nations artist Kelly Barclay will be one to watch at next week's Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF), presenting her evocative sculptural series STAMPEDE as part of the Pay Attention! Art Fair Showcase (10 – 13 July).

The proud Waanyi/Gangalidda woman from Doomadgee in Queensland’s lower Gulf of Carpentaria, Barclay paints buffalo and cattle skulls gathered from remote stations across northwest Queensland.

Barclay’s works reflect on the region’s painful history, where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men were displaced from their lands and forced into unpaid labour on cattle stations under government control.

According to Barclay, her hand-painted skulls give form to stories often left untold, while also honouring the enduring connection of families who have since lived, worked, and cared for that same Country. 

“Each piece is a powerful meditation on Country, colonial legacies, and cultural resilience,” said Barclay.

“My work is a reminder that our people didn’t just survive colonisation—we shaped the land too. These skulls carry that spirit, that history, and that strength,” she said.

With intricate patterns, cultural motifs, and bold symbolism, the artist said STAMPEDE will invite audiences to reckon with the truths of Australia’s pastoral frontier while also pausing to celebrate self-determination.

A self-taught artist and mother of two, Barclay uses her practice to inspire others in her community.

“Art was always a sanctuary for me. But I’ve come to realise it’s more than that—it’s part of my being. It’s how I interpret the world around me and connect with others. That’s something I want to pass on.”

Barclay’s striking works will be on display at CIAF '25, held from 11 to 13 July (Opening Night - 4pm Thursday 10 July) at Tanks Arts Centre, where she joins a strong cohort of artists whose work speaks to truth-telling, sovereignty, and the power of cultural expression.