A Gallery Tour Across Australia: Indigenous Art, Culture and Connection

I’ve just returned from a trip to Australia — a wonderful chance to reconnect with family, source some new works, and, of course, to immerse myself in some of the country’s most important galleries and exhibitions. It turned into an inspiring journey through contemporary and historical Aboriginal art, with each stop offering something unique and deeply moving.

Sydney: The Ngurrara Canvas at the Art Gallery of NSW

My first stop was the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where I spent a full day exploring exhibitions, including part of the Biennale of Sydney.

One of the most powerful works I encountered was the Ngurrara Canvas II, created in 1997 by a group of Ngurrara artists from the Kimberley region near Fitzroy Crossing. This extraordinary collaborative painting was produced not just as an artwork, but as a legal document — a visual assertion of connection to Country.

Presented to the National Native Title Tribunal, the painting played a key role in a landmark case, demonstrating the Ngurrara people’s enduring relationship with the Great Sandy Desert.

Often described as a “memory map,” the Ngurrara Canvas II charts tens of thousands of years of connection to land. It is far more than a map in the Western sense — it is a living cultural record, showing where people come from, the stories they carry, and the songs and dances that connect them to Country.

That connection was formally recognised through Native Title determinations in 2007 and 2012, making the work not only visually stunning but historically significant.

---

Canberra: After the Rain at the National Gallery of Australia

From Sydney, I travelled to Canberra to visit the 5th National Indigenous Art Triennial, After the Rain, at the National Gallery of Australia.

This exhibition brought together an incredible range of contemporary Indigenous artists. I was particularly drawn to the work of Naminapu Maymuru-White, a senior Yolŋu artist from north-east Arnhem Land. Her delicate and deeply considered works depict songlines of the Mangalili clan, often inspired by stars and their reflections in water.

Naminapu’s work has received international recognition — she was also featured in the Venice Biennale in 2024, the same year Archie Moore won the Golden Lion for the Australian Pavilion.

In a striking contrast, another gallery space showcased the bold and vibrant work of Kaylene Whiskey, a Yankunytjatjara woman from the APY Lands. Her practice blends pop culture — comics, music, and film — with traditional storytelling, creating works that are playful, powerful, and unmistakably contemporary.

---

Melbourne: Bark Paintings at the Ian Potter Centre

In Melbourne, I visited the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square, home to an exceptional collection of Australian art.

One of the standout spaces was the Bark Salon, which features over 150 bark paintings, a large-scale display of First Nations bark painting that references – and subverts – the traditional European salons of the 18th and 19th centuries, and is the largest display of its kind at the NGV. Walking into the room was a moment in itself; the sheer scale and presence of the works is breathtaking.

The broader exhibition spans from early acquisitions — rich in figurative, totemic, and ancestral narratives — through to contemporary works by some of Australia’s most celebrated Indigenous artists. It offers a powerful sense of continuity, showing how cultural knowledge and artistic practice evolve while remaining deeply rooted in tradition.

What struck me most across all these visits was the extraordinary diversity of Aboriginal art, from ancient cultural expressions to bold contemporary interpretations. Each gallery and exhibition offered a different perspective, yet all were united by a profound connection to Country, story, and identity.

---

Alice Springs: Meeting Artists on Country

A particularly special part of the trip was my time in Alice Springs, where I had the opportunity to meet with artists whose work I’ve recently acquired. It’s always incredibly meaningful to connect with artists on their own Country and gain a deeper understanding of the stories behind the works.

While there, I also visited Simpsons Gap, which was especially beautiful after recent rainfall. The landscape around Alice was unusually green — a rare and striking sight — with the desert coming alive in a way that felt both vibrant and full of energy. It was a wonderful reminder of how dynamic and responsive the outback can be.