Living Archive is a free-standing, organic structure formed through wooden boxes which transcend mere framing. The installation is a living, evolving assemblage that embodies the ongoing dialogue between nature and technology, growth and decay, past and future, resilience and interconnectedness.

The exhibition features collaborative work by the cbfe.inc collective, including John Bradshaw, Gordon Douglas, Gavin Findlay, Shane Keen, Victoria Lees, Ben McLeay and Joel Wilson. 

Living Archive: Live
10:30am Saturday 19 April
Free | Bookings not required | Closing event details here

Exhibitions launch
6pm Friday 6 March 2026
Speeches from approx. 6:30pm | Free entry | Bookings not required
Audiences are invited to start the evening from 5:30pm nearby at Murky Waters Studio for the launch of Justin Bishop's Meditations in Colour before heading to Umbrella for the launch of our three exhibitions.

Umbrella will be closed for the Easter weekend Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April inclusive, and Saturday 25 April for the Anzac Day public holiday.

Living Archive is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and the Townsville City Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

cbfe.inc is a small not-for-profit organisation founded by a collective of artists and creative misfits from North and Far North Queensland, Australia. Its mission is to pool resources and collaborate on artistic projects that foster community engagement and cultural exchange. At its essence is a belief in deep interconnectedness—and how connection is vital in times of crisis. Together they draw on decades of artistic experience to overcome the twin tyrannies of huge distances and tiny budgets to create uniquely weird and beautiful interactive sculptural assemblages for festivals and events, and now galleries, using modular timber construction, found materials, broken equipment and objects, and living plants.

Victoria Lees is a multidisciplinary artist based on Kuku Yalanji Country in the Daintree Rainforest, Far North Queensland. Her practice encompasses painting, drawing, and sculptural installation, with a particular focus on large-scale, site-responsive works. Victoria is renowned for creating temporary installations that merge natural elements with immersive experiences for festivals, events and exhibitions. Her work has been exhibited across Australia. Collaborating with lighting designers, sound artists, and riggers, she creates multisensory environments that enhance the relationship between the viewer, memory, and space. Lees is a member of the Diffraction Collective and the North of the Daintree River Art Society and serves as the president of cbfe.inc. She also works supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth and coordinating cultural workshops with elders and cultural practitioners.

Shane Keen is an innovative artist and the Artistic Director of Diffraction Collective, based in North Queensland. His diverse artistic practice blends traditional and non-traditional media, deeply influenced by D.I.Y. culture, graffiti, zines, and underground art movements. In 2007, Shane co-founded the Run Collective, a group of Gurambilbarra / Townsville artists passionate about graffiti and independent artistry. The collective has been involved in major projects, including Tonite We Run (2009), Urban DK (2011), A Permanent Mark (2015), and Found in Space (2017). Through large-scale murals, exhibitions, and collaborations, the Run Collective has left an enduring mark on the North Queensland arts scene. Keen later co-founded All Hours in 2018, an arts collective that embraces realism, abstract forms, geometric patterns, and energetic compositions. This group continues to evolve D.I.Y. culture while fostering artistic experimentation. As the Artistic Director of the Diffraction Collective, Keen organises multidisciplinary arts events that blend sound and visual art, drawing inspiration from underground and obscure themes. He remains dedicated to fostering artistic collaboration and innovation, connecting artists across diverse mediums and championing community-driven creativity.

Benny Mac (Ben McLeay) is a Gurambilbarra / Townsville based artist whose dynamic work fuses vibrant colours, bold compositions, and abstract expressionism.  Mac’s practice spans painting, digital art, and sculpture. His work explores themes of identity, human connection and emotion, inviting audiences to engage on a personal level. The artist is also passionate about contributing to immersive visual experiences at major arts festivals – such as Rootbound Festival, Townsville Folk Festival and PUNQ – where he has designed and installed stage components.

Joel Wilson has been a professional musician since the age of 16, and active in the national arts and music scene for over 35 years. He has performed across Australia, China and Indonesia, working with leading companies such as Dancenorth Australia and the Australian Super Rugby. His career spans music, film, theatre, radio journalism and arts management. Wilson has extensive experience delivering musical workshops in diverse communities, including Palm Island and Cleveland Youth Detention Centre. His background in theatre and media led him to work as a journalist, presenter, and producer at ABC Townsville before transitioning into arts event management. As a founding member of cbfe.inc., he continues to support high quality music and art events, focusing on mentorship and inclusivity in the creative sector.

Gavin Findlay is a musician, creative producer, and project manager based in Kaba Kada / Cow Bay in the Daintree. He has held leadership roles with The Performance Space (Gadigal / Sydney), Splinters Theatre of Spectacle, Canberra Youth Music, Canberra International Music Festival and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. Gavin has produced major events for the Sydney Festival and MONA FOMA, and the Village in Glebe Park and the Floriade Fringe festivals for the ACT Government. He recently submitted his PhD thesis in digital cultural archives at the Australian National University and is working with the Australian Cultural Library to create a national digital archive platform for artists and small cultural organisations.

Guest artists

John Bradshaw is an artist practicing in murals, printmaking, and photography. Bradshaw’s work is inspired by Graffiti culture, technology, animals and the natural environment. Since completing a Diploma of Visual Arts in 2006, the artist has facilitated art workshops for local communities and the Youth Detention Centre, and he has also created murals for various galleries, festivals and street art projects.

Gordon Douglas sees his art practice as an outcome of necessity, or instinct. Douglas participated in Clean Slate: 2008 Umbrella Members’ Exhibition, and since then his work has mainly been exhibited in retail and food outlets, including Zambrero’s, Hoi Polloi, ‘I like ramen’, ‘Salty Fridays’ and Diffraction Studio (2019-2022). He has also assisted numerous artist friends and peers to install and deliver their exhibitions over the years.