Australian Indigenous art is the oldest ongoing tradition of art in the world, dating back more than 30,000 years. It defines who we are in Australia and tells the stories of our history.
With a prime objective to connect Australian audiences with Indigenous art, a series of large-scale Indigenous art installations will be on view in major metropolitan areas across the country in June and July, visiting cities such as the resource rich Perth (28 to 30 June), the great outdoors of Brisbane (7 to 9 July), the arty laneways of Melbourne (13 to 15 July) and the harbour-side of Sydney (19 to 21 July). Each of the installations will be opened with an official Welcome to Country Ceremony and a performance by a variety of Aboriginal groups.
Curated by renowned Indigenous curator and Head of Programming at Sydney Opera House, Rhoda Roberts, the installation project features work from past winners of the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA), Australia’s most prestigious Indigenous art award.
“At its heart, Indigenous art is about storytelling and bringing people together, and this project is about taking art beyond the gallery walls to locations where more people can enjoy it and be inspired by it. These installations will see Indigenous art out in the open, taking it back to its roots,” said Roberts.
Exhibiting works vary from barbed wire emus, indigenous memorial poles, large hanging inflatables and traditional desert sand dot paintings on car parts. The artists include Michael Nelson Tjakamarra, Brook Andrew, Laurie Nilsen and Larrakitj (ten male and female artists from Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Art Centre who have worldwide reputation for excellence).
Laurie Nislen’s artwork often features barbed wire encompassing Indigenous cultural, political and environmental concerns. The artwork he will display at the Brisbane installation will be one of his barbed wire emu sculptures. Laurie’s work earned him the Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award at the 24th Telstra NATSIAA’s.
Larrakitj by various artists will be displayed at the Brisbane installation. The contemporary art addresses the concepts of ancestral power and significant memory of loved ones, with the poles painted with the clan’s symbols and style.
Brook Andrew uses his artwork to challenge cultural and historical perception, using installations, text and image to comment on local and global issues regarding race, the media, consumerism and history in the Indigenous space. The artwork he will display at the Melbourne installation will be his hanging artworks, The Weight of History, The Mark of Time (2015). Brook Andrew won the 2004 NATSIAA Telstra Work on Paper Award.
Michael Nelson Tjakamarra’s Car Parts artwork will be displayed in Sydney and feature vinyl graphics applied to doors based on the Papunya Tula movement. Michael was the first winner of the Telstra NATSIAA awards in 1984. Michael’s artwork depicts many stories of the dreaming through painting.
Telstra General Manager, Indigenous Directorate, Lauren Ganley, said the installations celebrate a 25 year milestone with the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin (MAGNT).
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art is one of the most powerful forms of storytelling; telling the stories of who we are, how we lived and how we connect. Australians from all over the country should be able to discover brilliant art, which is why we’re touring these artworks to areas across the country in celebration of our 25 year partnership anniversary with the NATSIAAs,” said Ganley.
The public can vote for their favourite artwork over the history of the Telstra NATSIAA to win a trip for two to the 33rd NATSIAA opening ceremony at MAGNT, plus a Territory experience thanks to NT Tourism.
Images (top to bottom):
Brisbane installation – Larrakitj by various artists
One artwork from Sydney installation – Michael Nelson Tjakamarra, 9 dreamings, 1997
Melbourne installation – Brook Andrew, The Weight of History, The Mark of Time, 2015
Perth installation: Laurie Nilsen, Goolburris on the Bungil Creek, 2017, barbed wire emus
Courtesy of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory