List of Indigenous Australian art movements and cooperatives explained

Australian Indigenous art movements and cooperatives have been central to the emergence of Indigenous Australian art. Whereas many western artists pursue formal training and work as individuals, most contemporary Indigenous art is created in community groups and art centres.[1]

Indigenous art centres put high value on social inclusion; they support major artists and foster emerging ones; they encourage participation and professional development of young people as artists or related workers, to provide employment and income. They focus on community rather than the art market: family connection, along with activities that celebrate Aboriginal and help to protect culture.[2]

The cooperatives or art centres listed below reflect the diversity of art across Indigenous Australia, where art, particularly for remote communities, is a significant source of income and livelihood.

Peak groups

The following organisations represent, or include, a number of Indigenous art cooperatives:

Aboriginal Art Association of Australia

The Aboriginal Art Association of Australia (AAAA), which advocates for all industry participants, including artists, galleries, and dealers, whether independent or affiliated to an art centre, was founded in Alice Springs (Mparntwe) in November 1998 and incorporated in January 1999, with over 60 financial member organisations during its first year. The Association continues to lobby and inform governments on behalf of its members on a range of matters, including the future direction and development of the arts (particularly Indigenous); codes of conduct, and resale royalties.[3]

Art curator and dealer Adam Knight was formerly the vice president of the AAAA.[4] He took over as president of the organisation in 2018.[5]

Arnhem, Northern and Kimberley Artists

The Arnhem, Northern and Kimberley Artists, Aboriginal Corporation (ANKA) is the peak body for Aboriginal artists and Aboriginal-owned community art centres across around a million square kilometres in the Top End of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. It is a not-for-profit Aboriginal Corporation.

The organisation was founded as the Association of Northern, Central and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists (ANCAAA) in 1987, which covered art centres in Northern and Central Australia; however in 1992 a separate association for the central regions was created, known as Desart, while ANCAAA continued to support artists in Northern Australia. In 1995, renamed Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists (ANKAAA), the requirement for all Indigenous governance was formalised at a board meeting, with a new all-Indigenous board elected from the four regions: Arnhem Land, the Kimberley, Darwin/Katherine, and the Tiwi Islands.

In 2000 the association undertook a strategic planning process and the new name (ANKA) was adopted. ANKA represents nearly 50 Aboriginal-owned remote community art centres, and more than 5000 artists.[6]

The head office of ANKA is in Darwin.[7]

Desart

Desart was founded in 1992 as a split from ANCAAA, to focus on Central Desert artists,[6] and incorporated in 1993. In 2016, it represented over 8000 artists.[2] In 2021, it had 37 independent Central Australian Aboriginal art centres, representing over 11,000 artists, located in the southern part of the Northern Territory, the APY Lands of South Australia, and Ngaanyatjarra country in Western Australia. Desart is governed by an all-Aboriginal committee elected by the members.[8] it has 30 member centres.[9] In 2022, Desart took on management responsibilities, being fully Aboriginal-owned for the first time in that year.[10]

The functions of Desart include advocacy for the art centres, and delivering "programs that build strong business practice, improve infrastructure, support governance, and promote Aboriginal art and culture".[8]

Desart also runs "Desert Mob", an annual event occurring each September or October that includes an exhibition in Araluen Arts Centre in Mparntwe (Alice Springs),[10] the Desert Mob Symposium, a marketplace, demonstrations, and other events such as workshops and visits to studios and art centres.[11] The 32nd edition of Desert Mob in 2023 included artwork from 35 art centres,[12] curated by Hetti Kemarr Perkins and Aspen Nampin Beattie.[10] There were also short films from Tjanpi Desert Weavers, and fashion shows.[12]

Indigenous art movements and cooperatives

There is a wide range of art centres. They are all Indigenous-owned and/or controlled and are all not-for-profit organisations or, in a few cases, companies owned by the artists (Papunya Tula; Jirrawun Arts). The oldest is Ernabella Arts, formed in 1948. The largest by sales in 2006 were Papunya Tula and Warlayirti.[13]

Name of centreLocation or nearest townYear establishedMajor artists associated with centre
Aboriginal Australia Art & Culture[14] Alice Springs, Northern Territory1973
Alice Springs, NT
Ampilatwatja, NT1999
Tennant Creek, NTArtists of the Barkly, a collective representing 50+ artists in Tennant Creek, Wutunugurra (Epenarra), Owairtilla (Canteen Creek), Kulumindini (Elliott), and Mungkarta (McLaren Creek)[15]
Bima WearNguiu, Bathurst Island, Tiwi Islands, NT1969
Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operativeSydney, NSW1987Bronwyn Bancroft, Michael Riley, Harry Wedge
Buku-Larrnggay Mulka CentreYirrkala, NT1976
Bula'Bula ArtsRamingining, Central Arnhem Land, NT1990
Elcho Island ArtsElcho Island, NT1992
Ernabella ArtsPukatja, South Australia1948
Hermannsburg PottersHermannsburg, NT1990
IkuntjiHaast's Bluff, NT1992Daisy Jugadai Napaltjarri, Molly Jugadai Napaltjarri
Injalak ArtsGunbalanya, NT1989Lofty Bardayal Nadjamerrek, Jimmy Namarnyilk, England Banggala, Glen Namundja, Graham Badari, Gabriel Maralngurra, Isaiah Nagurrgurrba
Iwantja ArtsAnangu Pitjantjatjara Lands, South Australia1995[16] Vincent Namatjira
Jirrawun ArtsWyndham, Western Australianot knownPaddy Bedford, Freddy Timms
Fregon2013
Keringke ArtsSanta Teresa, Northern Territory1989
MangkajaFitzroy Crossing, Western Australiaearly 1980s
Maningrida Arts & CultureManingrida, Northern Territoryc.1966[17] John Mawurndjul
Maruku ArtsUluru, NT1984
Mimi Aboriginal Art and CraftKatherine, NT1978[18] Bill Yidumduma Harney
MimiliSA
Minyma Kutjara Arts ProjectIrrunytju (Wingellina)2001 (formerly Irrunytju Arts) Yannima Tommy Watson
PapunyaNT
Papunya TulaNT1972Anatjari Tjakamarra, Eileen Napaltjarri, Tjunkiya Napaltjarri, Makinti Napanangka, Pansy Napangardi, Timmy Payungka Tjapangati, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Doreen Reid Nakamarra, Billy Stockman Tjapaltjarri
ProppaNOWBrisbane, Queensland2002Richard Bell, Vernon Ah Kee, Megan Cope, Jennifer Herd, Tony Albert, Gordon Hookey
TjuntjuntjarraNT
TitjikalaTitjikala, Northern Territorynot known
Tjanpi Desert WeaversCentral Australia (NT, SA, WA)1995
Tiwi DesignsTiwi Islands, NT1968
Tiwi Island ArtistsTiwi Islands, NT1998[19]
Amata, SA1997
Alice Springs, NT
UtopiaAlice Springs, NT1985Abie Loy Kemarre, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Kudditji Kngwarreye, Betty Mbitjana, Gloria Petyarre, Kathleen Petyarre, Greeny Purvis Petyarre (–2010, husband of Kathleen[20]), Angelina Pwerle, Jeannie Mills Pwerle, Lena Pwerle, (born [21]), Minnie Pwerle
Utopia Art CentreUrapuntja (Utopia), NT2020[22]
Waralungku ArtsBorroloola, NT2003
Waringarri Aboriginal ArtsKununurra, Western Australiaearly 1980s
Warlayirti ArtistsBalgo, Western Australia1987Susie Bootja Bootja Napaltjarri, Takariya Napaltjarri, Topsy Gibson Napaljarri
Warlukurlangu ArtistsYuendumu, NT1985Sheila Brown Napaljarri, Helen Nelson Napaljarri, Norah Nelson Napaljarri, Shorty Jangala Robertson, Liddy Walker, Dorothy Napangardi, Paddy Japanangka Lewis, Paddy Japaljarri Sims, Paddy Japaljarri Stewart, Mary Anne Nampijinpa Michaels
Warmun Art CentreWarmun (Turkey Creek, Western Australia)1998Shirley Purdie
Yarrenyty Arltere ArtistsAlice Springs, NT2008Shirley Purdie

Notes and References

  1. Wright, Felicity and Morphy, Frances 1999-2000. The Art & Craft Centre Story. Canberra: ATSIC (3 vols).
  2. Web site: Desart on Aboriginal Art Centres. Hannah . Grace . NAVA . 26 May 2016 . 27 January 2024.
  3. Web site: About . Aboriginal Art Association . 27 January 2024.
  4. Web site: AAAA Newsletter . May 2017 . Aboriginal Art Association of Australia . 16 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20200210094123/http://aboriginalart.org.au:80/aaaa/aaaa-newsletter-may-2017/. 10 February 2020.
  5. Web site: Board Members . Aboriginal Art Association of Australia . 17 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20200310093609/http://aboriginalart.org.au/aaaa/board-members/. 10 March 2020 .
  6. Web site: Who we are . ANKA. 2020 . 27 January 2024.
  7. Web site: Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists (ANKAAA) . Aboriginal Art Directory . 2 May 2021 . 27 January 2024.
  8. Web site: Desart Submission to the Productivity Commission Issues Paper: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual arts and crafts. December 2021. Desart.
  9. Web site: Culture first. Supporting Aboriginal Art Centres of Central Australia . Desart . 7 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231216212248/https://desart.com.au/. 16 December 2023. live. 27 January 2024.
  10. Web site: Guenzler . Joseph . Desert Mob to return to Mparntwe/Alice Springs . National Indigenous Times . 14 July 2023 . 27 January 2024.
  11. Web site: Heddle . Jeremy . Celebrating Art in the Desart . Arts Law Centre of Australia . 11 September 2023 . 27 January 2024.
  12. Web site: Clarke . Rhiannon . Desert Mob exhibition to include 35 Art Centres across Mparntwe/Alice Springs . National Indigenous Times . 6 September 2023 . 27 January 2024.
  13. Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, http://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/senate/committee/ecita_ctte/completed_inquiries/2004-07/indigenous_arts/report/report.pdf. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, June 2007.
  14. Web site: Aboriginal Art & Culture – Alice Springs Australia . Aboriginal Australian Art & Culture . 26 August 2023.
  15. Web site: Visual Arts . Barkly Regional Arts . 13 February 2023 . 28 January 2024.
  16. The centre's predecessor, Indulkana Arts Association, was established in the 1970s. Iwantja Arts, About us, retrieved 8 March 2009
  17. Web site: About Maningrida Art Centre . Maningrida . 25 August 2016 . 7 April 2020.
  18. Web site: Ethical Aboriginal art from the Top End to the Desert. . Mimi Aboriginal Art & Craft . 23 September 2020 . 28 January 2024.
  19. Formed as a network of three pre-existing art organisations
  20. Web site: Greeny Purvis Petyarre . Cooee Art . 2 April 2021 . 1 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230314075214/https://www.cooeeart.com.au/artists/petyarregreen/. 14 March 2023.
  21. Web site: Lena Pwerle . Mbantua Gallery . 1 November 2022 . 1 November 2022.
  22. Web site: Emily Kam Kngwarray and Utopia Art Centre . . 2 December 2023 . 28 January 2024.

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