Panther pride is abundant in western Sydney and is set to be amplified by an upcoming exhibition at Penrith Regional Gallery starting early next month.
‘Spot the Difference’ will feature the work of 18 artists from Penrith, western Sydney, and beyond to pay homage to sporting icon and local legend – the panther.
Gallery Director and Exhibition Curator Toby Chapman said he moved to Penrith four years ago, and the recurring image of the black cat was the first thing he noticed.
“Everywhere I looked there were panthers,” Chapman said.
“It’s not just a football team… there’s lots of small businesses that have taken it on as their own mascot themselves.”
Chapman not only saw the predator donning store windows and front yards as tributes to the beloved NRL team, but also spotted the elusive creature said to roam the Blue Mountains.
“I was on my lunch break from the gallery and went to the local shops to get a sandwich and I was sitting out the front and saw – let’s just say it looked like an oversized black feline lurking around a park,” he said.
“I took a quick video, and it’s some of the promotional material we’re using right now.”
He describes the experience from four years ago as a light bulb moment, inspiring the exhibition.
“Dating back to 2020, obviously the football team was doing such amazing things, it felt like there was this synergy and opportunity to really have a conversation not just about mythology, but also ideas of community representation and what local pride looks like,” he said.
Now in the year of Penrith’s NRL four-peat, the vision has come to life with new commissions by Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, Billy Bain, Claudia Nicholson, Jason Phu, and Regina Walter ranging from paintings and drawings to ceramics and textiles.
Chapman said there’s obvious synergies between art and sport, which helps make the exhibition something everyone in Penrith can get something out of.
“Both sport and culture offer something external and bigger than an individual for communities to connect over,” Chapman said.
“The opening is an invitation for all of the public – all of our communities – to come take a peek at what these artists have developed.
“It’s almost entirely new work… and we’re really excited to share it.”
The exhibition will run from November 9 to February 16, with the opening night scheduled for November 15.
You can find out more on the Penrith Regional Gallery website.
Ally Hall
Ally Hall joined the Weekender in 2024, and focuses on entertainment and community stories. She is a graduate of the University of South Australia.