Bing Bang Ring – Cash is King!

Throughout 2024, Dungog artist Helene Leane created an exhibition inspired by a beautifully ornate National Cash Register from the Dungog Museum’s collection. The resulting exhibit, Bing Bang Ring. Cash is King! is now on display, showcasing Helene’s vibrant interpretation of this historical piece.

This project is part of This Here Then Now, an Arts Upper Hunter program developed in partnership with local museums. In 2024, three Upper Hunter regional museums collaborated with resident artists: Sophie Cox at Scone Museum, Helene Leane at Dungog Museum, and Todd Fuller at Tocal Homestead. The project was made possible through the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, the NSW Government, and the C B Alexander Foundation.

At the heart of Helene’s exhibition is the cash register, originally a centrepiece at Skillen’s grocery shop (now the Dungog Medical Centre). The shop served the community until 1966, when Australia transitioned to decimal currency. Inspired by the consumer culture of that era, Helene reimagined products once sold at Skillen’s and other local shops as Pop Art-style posters. She also collected photographs of Dungog’s historic shops and community members, transforming them into bold, modern pieces that celebrate the town’s retail history.

These dynamic works are on display at the Dungog Museum. Please call the Museum if you wish to view by appointment. Visitors can visit Helene’s Gallery on Dowling, located just across the road.