Wiradjuri artist Darren Wighton on his foyer mural for Murray Art Museum Albury

Wiradjuri artist and educator Darren Wighton was commissioned for the foyer mural, which boldly states 'gawaymbanha' in capital letters.

Gawaymbanha is a Wiradjuri word meaning welcome.

"It is not just welcome to the gallery or welcome to Wiradjuri Country. It is a welcome to the people, the culture, the connections," Wighton said.

"What feels good about it is it is language written really big, so people can see and learn.

"It has a lot of weight, so having it in here as part of a permanent exhibit, part of the foyer as you come in, is huge," he said.

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The lettering of the mural is filled with brush stroke patterns based on region-specific tree carvings or dendroglyphs which move from dark to lighter shades.

Dendroglyphs are a design element of engraving common in funeral practices, with Wighton using iconography unique to Wiradjuri culture for his mural.

Wighton said the transition represents how traditional art practices inform contemporary art making within his culture.

The mural is part one of three for the installation that will fill the boxed Dean Street entrance. Parts two and three, a ceiling and glass column work by the same artist, will be introduced in the new year.

MAMA curator Michael Moran said the mural was a "long overdue" project for the gallery, which has been in development for several years.

"It should have always been here," Mr Moran said.

"We've talked for years as to what a significant artwork would be that announces this place, this gallery, is on Wiradjuri Country.

"To have Darren, a local Wiradjuri artist, a senior man and an educator working with us is really meaningful," he said.

In October the NSW government announced a major expansion of the K-12 Aboriginal Languages syllabus in NSW public schools, though plans to staff and assess the subject remain in question.

Wighton is among a strong cohort of Wiradjuri language educators who teach in the region. He hopes public art projects like his mural will improve visibility and familiarity with the first language of the area.

"The goal would be that eventually kids in schools will be familiar with the word and when they see it here, they know it, and they can share it with their siblings and parents," Wighton said.

"When people see it, I would encourage them to hear the sound of the word rather than trying to spell it out, the way we would in English letters, because it won't make sense."

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