The 15th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA) is a national exhibition celebrating developments within contemporary indigenous Australian art practice.
NATSIAA has been, and continues to be one of the most prestigious and important annual events within the visual arts calendar. This year’s award and exhibition is notable because for the first time an urban-based artist has won the Telstra First Prize. Artist Jody Broun won for the painting titled Whitefellas Come to Talk Bout Land. The Judges; Professor Howard Morphy and Doreen Mellor, commended the visual strength of Whitefellas Come Talk Bout Land, with its dramatic colouring of red earth beneath a glaring blue sky and the unusual fish eye lens perspective used by the artist, a reference to aerial perspective of Western Desert style painting.
Among the winners of the media category prizes is well known artists Eubena Nampitjin, winner of the Telstra Open Painting Award for her luminous work Wiritji Rockhole. An emerging artist Wukun Wanambi is the winner of the Telstra Bark Painting Award for his painting on bark. Michael Anning won the Wandjuk Marika Memorial Three-Dimensional Award for his Rainforest Shields and Swords, evidence of the revival of the near forgotten artistic traditions of the north Queensland rainforest groups.
Artists: Paddy Fordham Wainburranga, John Mandjuwi Gurruwiwi, Galuma Maymuru, Sheena Wilfred Huddleston, Peggy Napangardi Jones, Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungurrayi, Daisy Napaljarri Jugadai, Mary Kunji, Joanne Currie Nalingu, Pijaju Peter Skipper, Narputta Nagala, Gordon Hookey, Ray Thomas, Jean Baptiste Apautimi, Vincent Serico, Julie Dowling, Inyuwa Nampitjinpa, Deceased Artist, Kathleen Petyarre, Ray James Tjangala, Boxer Milner, Nikki McCarthy, John Wilson, Gali Yalkarruiwuy, Mick Kubarkku, Brenda Palma, Carol Rontji, , Brenda L Croft, Darren Siwes, Judy Watson, Rosella Namok, Peter Datjin Burrarrwanga, Loft Bardayal Nadjamerrek, Janangoo Butcher Cherel, Sylvia Mulwanany and Laurie Nona.
NATSIAA seeks to promote appreciation and understanding of contemporary indigenous Australian Art in its diversity throughout Australia by exhibiting the best contemporary art by both emerging and established artists and by maintaining excellence in the selection and judging of entries.
This exhibition is a rare forum of 41 works profiling the diversity of indigenous art and culture in an array of styles, media and techniques from the remote regions of Northern and Central Australia to the rural and urban centres of Australia. Themes include local mythologically based narratives along with contemporary issues such as Native Title and the Stolen Generation.
A Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Travelling Exhibition.
