Visual Arts - Touring 2010/11
ReCoil: Change & Exchange in Coiled Fibre Art
This exhibition introduces some of the most recent, innovative and important developments in contemporary Australian fibre practice. Central to these developments has been the rapid spread and diversification of the coiled basket making technique, especially among Aboriginal women in remote communities. The spread of coiling has also been influenced by creative partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners, and to highlight this, ReCoil profiles the work of thirteen Aboriginal and three western textile artists though a diverse range of baskets, bags, mats, paintings and sculptures.
Touring nationally November 2007 - May 2010.
This exhibition is supported by Visions of Australia, an Australian Government program supporting touring exhibitions by providing funding assistance for the development and touring of Australian cultural material across Australia.
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| Education Kit |
| Artists' Information |
| Catalogue Orders |
| ReCoil Tour Itinerary |
Touring Itinerary for 2010 - 2012 is now in progress.
If you would like to host this exhibition, please contact us.
The Beanie Festival - Colours of the Country II
Supported by the Alice Springs Beanie Festival, Arts NT and Artback NT.
As iconic Australian headwear, the beanie has been celebrated by the Alice Springs Beanie Festival since 1996. Attracting contributors from around Australia and overseas, beanie makers compete in events like “Australia’s Flashest Beanie.”
This exhibition was developed by Artback NT and the Alice Springs Beanie Festival as a celebration of a dynamic community arts event, as well as to share in the joy of creativity with beanie lovers everywhere. Colours of the Country 2 demonstrates the growth of the beanie as an artform over the years and the imagination, creativity and fine craftsmanship presented in each piece. It is a colourful exhibition encapsulating the whimsical essence of the Beanie Festival. The collection also highlights the works produced by Indigenous artists from the Central Desert region who are regular collaborators in this cross cultural event. An exhibition embraced by a broad cross section of the community, the collection will inspire audiences to laugh, don crazy headwear and knit.
| PDF Downloads |
| Education Kit Part 1 |
| Education Kit Part 2 |
| Beanie Education Sheet |
Top: Camel, 2009 ; Stephanie Campbell, Titjikala Community, Crochet with needle felting
Middle: Pantjitji McKenzie from Alice Springs demonstrates at the festival workshop
Bottom: Visitors to the show, Araluen Cultural Precinct, July 2009
Photographer: Dave Nixon
REPLANT: a new generation of botanical art
Supported by Nomad Art Productions, NT Government, the Australia Council, Wildlife in the Northern Territory and Artback NT
Replant is a ground breaking exhibition which straddles boundaries between science and art.
The exhibition reinvestigates botanical drawings through its six diverse and renowned Australian artists: Fiona Hall (SA), Judy Watson (QLD), Winsome Jobling (NT), Deborah Wurrkidj (NT), Marita Sambono (NT), Irene Mungatopi (NT) and photographer Peter Eve from the Northern Territory.
Working with the Northern Territory Herbarium, artists explored the scientific, cultural and social aspects of Indigenous plant species with traditional knowledge custodians from the Daly River region. Images were then developed as 26 limited edition etchings.
Touring nationally June 2008 - December 2011.
This exhibition is supported by Visions of Australia, an Australian Government program supporting touring exhibitions by providing funding assistance for the development and touring of Australian cultural material across Australia.
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| Location Map |
| Project Notes |
| Education notes |
| Catalogue Orders |
| Replant Tour Itinerary |
Image: Black Plum
Artist: Deborah Wurrkidj 2006
Photo: Courtesy of Nomad Art
Yiloga! - Tiwi Footy
Yiloga! is a exploration of football and it’s importance in the life of an Indigenous community.
This series of documentary style photographs deals with the place of footy in Tiwi culture and explores not only the Tiwi communities passion for the game of AFL Football but also it’s positive influence on life in the community.
The caliber of the footballers that have originated from the Tiwi Islands is remarkable; they have thrilled crowds with their sporting prowess, athleticism and style on the football field. This exhibition explores the links between sport, culture and art resonating deeply within the collective Australian psyche.
The colour and excitement of ‘footy’ is captured as well as some of the startling history of the islands over the last 5 years. Photographers Peter Eve and Monica Napper have worked collaboratively with the community to produce a remarkable work that endeavours to break down barriers and redress stereotypes.
Sport and life are inextricably linked in Australian culture and these images explore some of the cultural and social aspects of ‘yiloga’ and the prominent place of footy in the social network of the region referencing the tribal/clan alliances which form the basis of football on the Tiwi Islands. As Brother Pye once noted: “Football has unified people on the islands. They are all from different clans, but as soon as you pick a footy team they are all in it together.”
This exhibition is a striking reminder of the complexity of the country in which we live.
MULUWURRI (Magpie Geese)
School classroom being used as dressing room before the game.
Image: Peter Eve 2005
Artist: Dion Beasley
Title: Dangerous Dog 2008
Screenprint with wash, 625 x 825mm
Photo Credit: Angus Cameron
Available for touring 2010 -2011
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A Dog's Life - Dion Beasley
Many people will be familiar with Dion’s work from the Cheeky Dog tee shirts that cover the backs of many Northern Territorians and tourists alike. Dion Beasley is a 17 year old Indigenous artist from Canteen Creek near Tennant Creek in the N.T. Dion was born profoundly deaf and has muscular dystrophy. With his friend and mentor Joie Boulter, Dion has been producing Cheeky Dog images for tee shirts and bags for a number of years. This exhibition sees a whole new side to Dion’s work.
Ten large limited edition hand coloured prints give a humorous and astute observation of the community life of Canteen Creek’s camp dogs and introduces several new characters. The works were printed at Julalikari Arts in Tennant Creek under the guidance of Alan Murn.
These works captivate and delight and highlight the wonderful contribution artists with disabilities make to our cultural and artistic life. Murn says “The works on print are more than very, very good drawings of dogs. Dion’s line work is very confident and very skilful. His use of space that he works within is very clever, and his perspectives and perceptions are highly developed for someone without any training.”
Intem-Antey Anem ; These Things Will Always Be - Batchelor Institute
Utopia women have initiated this project to preserve and share important cultural knowledge about medicinal plants. An intergenerational group of artists and language speakers is collaborating with Batchelor Institute lecturers in Own Language Work and Art and Craft to record and explore a body of knowledge that they value highly and use daily. They are aware of the wider community’s interest in medicinal plants and Indigenous knowledge and want to make their unique contribution.
The senior women have a vital interest in the transmission of cultural knowledge to younger people in their communities. The active involvement of young women has been supported by their interest in visual arts and digital media, as well as reading and writing in their own language.
The exhibition expresses the women’s knowledge and feeling for medicinal plants in innovative, elegant, and engaging ways. The work includes etchings and silk paintings. There is an important language and cultural documentation dimension to the show, with room panels in Kaytetye, Alyawarr, Eastern Anmatyerr and English languages, photographs and interactive digital material. A set of posters and a book will accompany the exhibition. The artists are eager for people to engage with this beautiful work and learn from it.
Intem-Antey Anem Tour Itinerary
Images courtesy of Batchelor Institute L-R: 'Ilpengk' Natasha Ross;'Rubbing with Ilpengke' Lucky Morton
30 Years of Chief Ministers: the official portraits we should have had - Colin Holt
The chief ministers of the first three decades of the Northern Territory are a pretty mixed bag. None was born here and, at the rate things are going, few will die here: only two - Stone and Martin - still live in the joint. All but one was born in Australia, but only two - Tuxworth and Perron - could be said to come from a 'Territory' family. None of them were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, and only a couple have ended up making a few bob in or out of office. Pretty ordinary mob really, and that's the way we like it!
In this exhibition, the George Grosz of Darwin, Colin Holt, honours our glorious leaders.
Chips Mackinolty 2008
Dates and venues for 2010 in Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs to be confirmed.
Colin Holt Tour Itinerary
Portrait of Shane Stone (1995-99) by artist Colin Holt; photo courtesy of the artist