Explore Dreaming Botanica, a series of oil paintings by Wollongong-based Chinese artist Mia Ban.

This exhibition explores childhood wonder through local flora, fauna, and marine life rendered on a surreal scale. Inspired by Wollongong’s natural environment, the works depict children in imaginative everyday encounters with local species. The oversized plants and animals represent the emotional significance nature holds in childhood memory.

Mia’s paintings explore themes of identity, memory, and belonging often through a dreamlike visual language and childlike symbolism. Here, she’s inspired by nature and specifically local Illawarra species like kangaroo paws, eastern flame pea and the swift parrot, inviting audiences to rediscover the rich biodiversity of the Illawarra through a child’s imaginative lens.

Mia has exhibited widely in both China and the USA and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Seattle in 2015. These original artworks have been commissioned as part of Wollongong City Council’s Public Art Program.